Playing House
by heartlines
Summary: Two years after graduation, Sam is successfully running a restaurant in Seattle when Melanie comes and drops a baby into her lap. How will she deal with raising her sister's baby? And will a certain someone be helping her?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi all. I know, I know, I'm starting another WIP fic when I haven't updated Lo Douleur in awhile. I got this idea from writing Melanie in the Lo Douleur verse and wondered what would happen if a situation like this arose. I know I won't be able to work it into the Lo Douleur universe in any way so my mind conjured up another story. I just want to say that unlike Lo Douleur this story is outlined and plotted. I definitely know where I'm going with this and I'm excited about writing it. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as well. :)**

**Also, this story is story is rated M but the M rated parts won't be coming until later on. I want to say around chapter 8 or so (though that could change) and I'll give full warning when it does.**

**Disclaimer: iCarly and its characters sadly do not belong to me.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

Sam walked out of her office and looked around at the packed restaurant and the line that was forming at the door. Yes, the weekend dinner rush had begun. She sighed and tied her hair up into a bun, making her way to the kitchen. On nights like these she much preferred to help out in the kitchen than in customer service. She'd come a long way since her brief stint working at Chilli My Bowl when she was younger, and she could usually paste on a smile and deal with her customers in a polite way, but she still had very little patience for rude or stupid customers that seemed to populate the restaurant at especially busy times.

She walked into the kitchen, which was a blur of busy chaos as her team of chefs and assistants moved around, filling orders. Sam put on an apron and a hat and walked over to the stoves.

"Hey Emilio," she greeted her head chef. "How's those hot meat sandwiches coming?"

"Selling like hotcakes," he said.

"Or hot meat…" she joked, grinning at him. He grinned back and wiped drops of sweat off his brow.

Sam took the spatula from him. "Take a short break, I'll take over here. We don't want you dripping sweat into the meat."

"Right, thanks Sam."

She waved him away and turned her attention to the meat mixture before her.

Gibby's had gone from being an underground restaurant at Ridgeway High School to a real above ground operating restaurant. Sam still couldn't believe it sometimes. She had done two things that she never would have thought possible five years ago, one was graduate high school and the second was get a real and legal full-time job.

After Gibby's had become a success at Ridgeway, she and Gibby had pooled together their earnings towards the middle of senior year and bought a lease on a space that had been put up for sale just a couple blocks down from Bushwell Plaza. They soon quickly found out that trying to open a real restaurant in the city of Seattle was not the same thing as opening an underground, illegally run restaurant in the basement of their school. It cost money that Sam and Gibby were quickly running out of, they had numerous permits to get, and since they had both just recently turned 18 at the time, no one took them seriously. It had been looking more and more like they would have to give up on their dream of expanding Gibby's into a real business. And then Principal Franklin had stepped in.

He advised Sam and Gibby that opening a restaurant needed more capital than they had and the best way to get that was through financial backers. He offered to become a silent backer himself and from that moment on the wheels were set in motion. Spencer was fully supportive of the endeavor and because he didn't have the money himself, he contacted his dad and Col. Shay became financial backer number two. T-Bo came on board and offered a lot of surprisingly helpful advice, since he had actual experience in running a successful business. But perhaps the most surprising source of help Sam and Gibby had was Mrs. Benson. She became financial backer number three and had a big part in getting the permits signed. No matter how many people thought that two teenagers running a restaurant was a ridiculous idea, no one could resist Mrs. Benson's stubborn force of will for very long.

And so it was through this force of unlikely team work that Gibby's opened for business only two months after graduation.

"Sam!" Julie called across the kitchen from where she was stirring marinara sauce in a large pot. "Aren't your friends coming tonight?"

Sam cursed as she transferred the hot meat from the pan to sandwich buns. She had forgotten all about that.

She gestured for one of the assistants to take her place with the sandwiches.

"Why don't you take a break and join them for dinner?" Julie asked as Sam walked over to her. "You've been breaking your back working so hard here all week."

Julie was the second chef and was someone that Sam had become very close to, looking to her as like an older sister. Julie was a pretty and tall redhead in her mid-twenties and had been dating Sam's recently paroled cousin Stuart when Sam hired her. They had since broken up and Stuart had moved to California but Julie stuck around despite the fact that she could probably get a job in any restaurant in Seattle. Sam knew that part of the reason she stayed was to look out for Sam and she appreciated it more than she could express. And Sam was pretty sure that Julie has a big crush on Spencer, though why those two don't get it together already, she doesn't know.

It was also Julie that had helped Sam apply to the Seattle College of Culinary Arts, where Julie herself had graduated from. Sam was in her second year there and enjoying it far more than she ever expected. Well, except for her Chemistry classes. They were a pain.

"If you went out there you'd see how likely my taking a break is," Sam tried to quip but she could hear the exhaustion in her own voice. It really had been a long week.

Julie put down her ladle and took her arm. "Sam, you're working yourself to the ground."

"I'm fine…"

"Don't give that I'm fine crap that you've been using all week. Between school and working here, you hardly ever take a break and you hardly ever see your friends. Come on, Sam," she said more gently, rubbing her arm. "Just take an hour. I promise that the restaurant isn't going to fall apart."

Sam sighed. Julie had a point, and she really hadn't seen Carly and Freddie in awhile.

"Okay! Just one hour."

Julie smiled and took off Sam's cap. "Now go."

She took off her apron as she made her way through the kitchen and hung it on the hook by the door. If it was possible, the restaurant was even busier than before but Sam knew exactly where her friends would be. They had a corner booth that was reserved for them when either Sam, Gibby, or even any of the wait staff knew they were coming.

She made her way there, smiling and greeting a few regulars that she knew by name. It took her nearly fifteen minutes to make it from one end of the restaurant to the other. She really had been spending too much time at this place.

Finally she could see the booth where Carly and her boyfriend Ian were sitting together. As she got closer she could see that Freddie was sitting across from Ian. Completely and totally without her permission, Sam felt a smile come to her face. Until she got to the booth and saw a pretty and petite brunette girl sitting beside Freddie. Her smile fell.

"Hi Sam!" Carly grinned up at her.

"Hey Carls," Sam said and greeted the boys in turn. "Ian, Freddo." She stopped when she got to the girl.

"Sam, this is Emily," Freddie said. "Emily, this is Sam, she co-owns and manages this place."

Emily reached out her hand which Sam shook, a tight smile on her face.

"So you're Sam! Carly talks about you all the time. I've heard some great things about this restaurant and I'm glad I finally get to try it."

"Uh, Sam," Carly cut in. "Emily's in my Psychology class. I set her up on a blind date with Freddie here."

"Great, great," Sam said. "So did you guys order?"

"Yeah, Tom took care of us," Carly said.

"Did you want to join us, Sam?" Ian asked.

"No, no. Look at this place!" She gestured around. "We're packed tonight. I need to get back to the kitchen. I just wanted to stop by and say hi to Carly."

"Can we hang out sometime?" Carly asked. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

"About a month and half," Sam said flippantly. "But who's counting? Sure, we'll hang out. I'll just leave you guys to it. Hope you enjoy your food."

"We always do," Ian assured her.

Sam turned away, carefully avoiding Freddie's eyes and Emily's far too perky smile. She walked straight across the restaurant, making her way down the back hallway and to her office, where she closed the door behind her, blocking out the sounds of the restaurant. She sat down heavily at her desk, putting her head in her hands.

She and Carly hadn't been seeing each other so much or really talking a lot. They had stopped broadcasting iCarly at the end of their senior year. Carly was now a Communication Arts major at the University of Washington, and just as Sam was thriving at the restaurant and at Culinary Arts school, Carly was having a blast at college. She lived in the dorms on campus and she was involved in a lot of student clubs and organizations. And on top of that, she had been dating Ian, a junior pre-Law student, for almost a year now. Her longest relationship ever. All of that combined made a Carly that rarely visited this side of Seattle anymore, even Spencer sometimes complained to her that he barely saw his little sister.

Two years ago Sam would have sworn that nothing could ever change the friendship that she and Carly had. Now she it seemed that she and Carly were just drifting further and further apart. And she couldn't believe that Carly would set Freddie up on a date with that complete twit.

Speaking of Freddie, he was now attending Seattle Technical University. He had gotten into a lot of fancy schools on the east coast but he chose Seattle Tech, saying that they had the best Computer Engineering program on the West Coast. He still lived at home with his mom, which Sam teased him mercilessly about but he seemed happy to save money on rent. Sam had a feeling that Mrs. Benson's chicken crisis a few years ago had hit their family finances harder than Freddie had ever admitted, which made Sam wonder where she had come up with the money to back Gibby's. But Freddie never talked about it and Sam had never broached the subject with him.

She saw Freddie marginally more than she saw Carly because she lived in an apartment building that was right in between Gibby's and Bushwell. One of the best things about having a successful restaurant is that it gave her the financial freedom to leave her mom. Not that she didn't check in once in awhile and gave Pam money but she was immensely glad not to have to live with the woman anymore. But even with physical distance not really being a problem, the friendship between her and Freddie isn't what it used to be.

After graduation, Sam had to accept that the 'one day' that she had been waiting for since that night on the elevator would never come. Freddie had plenty of chances to pick things up again, he had even stayed in Seattle despite Sam's full belief that he would jet off to the other side of the country as soon as they were free of Ridgeway. But he never did or said anything that even hinted he wanted to try again with her and Sam was tired of waiting around. Fortunately she had the restaurant and then school to fully throw herself into. It was not only the perfect distraction, it was the best avoidance technique. It ensured that she couldn't spend enough time around Freddie to do or say something stupid. And so they had drifted apart just as she and Carly had.

If someone had told Sam five years ago that out of their whole group, the one that she'd be closest to after graduation was Gibby, she would have broken their thumbs. And then laughed in their face. Back then she had tolerated Gibby because he was good for iCarly, Carly and Freddie liked him, he helped them out sometimes (like when he saved them from Nora the first time), and she could admit that his random weirdness was funny sometimes. But she never actively sought out his company, unless she felt like giving someone a wedgie. He was always an easy target when they were younger.

But then they had opened Gibby's in the basement and Sam had started spending more time with him. She realized that underneath all that weirdness, there was a real person. In a way, it was Gibby's dream that had paved the path for Sam to realize her true calling in life. If it wasn't for the underground restaurant then Sam would likely be floating adrift in life post-graduation, not really doing much of anything, she certainly wouldn't be in school and running a successful business.

When Gibby's had started out, Gibby had been just as invested and involved in the restaurant as Sam was. But as they entered their senior year and Gibby's at Ridgeway was fully on its feet and generating a profit, Gibby had started to turn his attention to other possible business ventures. It turned out that Gibby had a short attention span and he was more interested in thinking up ideas than he was in maintaining a long-term business. That was fine by Sam, Gibby's had become her baby anyway. He had still helped her expand Gibby's onto the streets of Seattle and get it on its feet in the first year. But now Gibby was at the University of Washington with Carly and majoring in Entrepreneurship. He was still co-owner of the restaurant and her partner but mostly he came by and helped out when Sam was really overstretched and had her plate too full. He was also a better people person than her so he took care of the advertising and getting word of mouth about Gibby's out there. But even he had admitted that Gibby's had turned into Sam's thing more than his. He had even given her permission to change the name of the restaurant but Sam decided against it because it clicked well with the iCarly viewers and the sentimental part of her was grateful to the potato that his dream had made her realize a talent and drive that she never knew she had. The two years they had spent running a business together had forged a bond between them that Sam never in a million years would have dreamed possible. Now she thought of Gibby as almost like a brother and lately she had been feeling like she could count on him more than she could on Carly and Freddie. And that made her a little sad.

Sam looked down at the accounting book on the desk in front of her, knowing that she was in for a long night of adding up the day's expenses and profit. She could hire an accountant, she knew that she probably should, but she just had a hard time trusting anyone with money. Years of not having enough food in the house because of her mother's poor spending choices had taught her to rely on only herself in that regard.

A knock came at the door and Sam lifted her head wearily, expecting Julie to come in and ride her on not spending time with her friends. Like she really wanted to be a fifth wheel on their perfect little double date.

"Come in," she called out.

The door opened and Freddie popped his head in. "Hey," he smiled. "Busy?"

Sam waved him in and he took the seat across from her.

"How are you, Sam?" He asked.

She frowned at him. Was that the best he could come up with?

"Did you really come in here to make small talk? Don't you have a date waiting out there?"

"I'm asking because I really want to know, Sam. We haven't really seen each other in almost a month…"

"And whose fault is that?" Sam cut in. "I'm not exactly hard to find, am I?"

"No, but you're always busy. I try to eat here as much as I can just to have a conversation with you but you can't sit down for five minutes without something around this place needing your attention."

"And here I thought you just had a lasagna fetish," she smirked.

"It is good lasagna," Freddie allowed. "Better than Pini's. How did you do that, by the way? I think you're single handedly putting them out of business."

"Sorry, can't reveal my secrets," Sam smiled.

"Seriously though, I was there last week and the place was half empty. On a Saturday night!"

She grimaced at the reminder, Saturday nights were majorly busy for them and that was tomorrow. And then Sam's brain zeroed in on what he had said.

"What were you doing at Pini's on a Saturday night?" She tried to ask casually. "Hot date?"

"As a matter of fact…"

"I thought Carly had just set you up with that Emily chick tonight?"

"She did but I sort of went out with a girl in my comp sci class last week." He rubbed the back of his neck in that nervous habit he had.

"Look at Freddie Benson being a little player," Sam teased, careful to keep her face blank.

"That date didn't go well and this one, well, I know Carly means well but…"

"Emily's not your type?"

"She's a nice girl…" He hedged.

"She's too perky, isn't she?"

Freddie rolled his eyes. "It's annoying!"

"I've heard so much about you! I've always wanted to eat here!" Sam mimicked in a high pitched voice and Freddie laughed.

"I've missed this," he said once the laughter died down. "I miss _you_."

Sam shrugged and looked away, not wanting to admit that she missed him too. But God, she really did.

He scooted forward in his chair and reached for her hands that were lying on the table. "We should hang out," he said. "Just us. And not here at the restaurant where you always get distracted."

Sam tried to ignore the tingling in her hands that were encased in Freddie's, his thumb absentmindedly rubbing circles on her palm, but it felt like the tingles were climbing up her arms and short circuiting her brain and she could swear that Freddie was leaning in. His face coming closer…and closer…

The door opened suddenly, making them both jump and pull apart. Freddie dropped her hands.

"Sam! Did the supply of meatballs come in this morning?" Julie asked. "We're almost out…" She looked at the two of them. "Did I interrupt something?"

"They're in the freezer, I'll go get them," Sam stood up and walked around the desk and Freddie stood as well.

"Sam," he called after her and she paused in the doorway. "I'll call you?"

"Sure, whatever," she tried to sound nonchalant but she knew that her smile gave her away. A matching one spread across Freddie's face, lighting up his eyes, and Sam had to force herself to turn around and walk out the door, otherwise she might never leave that office.

Julie was waiting for her in the hallway, a knowing grin on her face.

"Come on, let's get those meatballs," Sam said, walking quickly down the hallway, leaving Julie behind her.

"You're giving me details tonight, Sam Puckett!" She yelled.

Sam waved a hand in the air dismissively but she knew Julie was right. She was in for one hell of an interrogation once Gibby's doors closed for the night. She found that she didn't mind so much, her heart was skipping happily in her chest and she could use someone to talk to.

* * *

Sam walked into her apartment, closing and locking the door behind her, feeling the exhaustion from the day, the entire week, pressing down on her bones like heavy weights. All she wanted to do was pass out on her bed and sleep for the entire weekend but that was impossible. The most she could do was sleep in until ten and then she had to go into work for the lunch grind.

She fell face first onto the couch and groaned. Maybe she could just sleep here…

Her phone buzzed and Sam pulled it out of her pocket. It was a text message from Freddie, she sat up completely.

_Hey, I skipped out on the movie I was supposed to see with Emily, Carly, and Ian. Carly's really mad but she'll live. Wanna hang out tom?_

Sam smiled and pressed 'reply' but before she could begin her reply another message popped up on the screen.

_Even if you say no, I'll just hang out at the restaurant all day._

_That sounded stalkerish, sorry. _

Sam fought against the grin spreading across her face, her palms were sweaty and dammit, it was like three years ago all over again.

_You know what? I'm just going to call you._

Freddie's face popped up on her screen as it started ringing and she was about to accept the call when a knock sounded on the door. She looked down at her phone and up at the door. Was it Freddie?

Sam got up and opened the door, the still ringing phone in her hand. She was fully expecting to see Freddie on the other side being the dork that he is but instead she found herself staring at a carbon copy of herself.

"Melanie," she said.

"Hi Sam," Melanie greeted her, exhaustion evident in her voice and all over her face. Sam knew that she was looking pretty rough herself but compared to how her sister looked right now, it was like she was going to step out and compete in another beauty pageant. Melanie was wearing clothes that were baggy and old, her usually neatly tied up hair was loose and looked like it hadn't met a comb for days, she had no make-up on and the heavy purple bags under her eyes made her look a bit like a basset hound. Even in the face of this wreckage, Sam's eyes immediately gravitated to the stroller that was in front of Melanie.

"Can I come in?" She asked.

Sam stepped out of the way and Melanie pushed the stroller in. The phone was still ringing in her hand and she pressed the 'ignore' button then turned it off.

When Sam turned to her sister, Melanie had made herself comfortable on her couch.

"What the hell, Melanie? Please tell me that baby's not-"

"It's mine," she said.

Sam sat down on the arm chair, her mind going blank and her vision blurring. This wasn't happening. This was a dream. This whole day had been a dream…

"Sam! Sam!"

Her focus came back and Melanie was kneeling in front of her, shaking her shoulders. "Come on, Sam, stay with me. Don't go into shock."

She pushed Melanie's hands away. "Please tell me you kidnapped that kid. A felony kidnapping I can deal with. You giving birth at nineteen? No, no!"

Sam got up and walked to the kitchen, pulled open the refrigerator and took out her super sized package of ham. She ripped the plastic open and shoved five pieces into her mouth.

Melanie had followed her and was watching her carefully. She wisely waited while Sam chewed and swallowed, eventually calming down enough to face her sister.

"When?" Sam asked.

"She was born two weeks ago."

"She?"

"Her name is Charlotte. Charlotte Elizabeth Puckett."

"That's my middle name," Sam said.

"Yeah, it is," Melanie said gently.

Sam shook her head, trying to wrap her head around all of this. "Who did it? Who knocked you up?"

She bit her lip. "It doesn't matter."

"What? How can you say that, Melanie?"

"He's gone, okay? He left as soon as he found out I was pregnant."

"Give me a name, Mel."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you're going to tell Uncle Carmine and he's going to hunt him down with a knife then he'll never get out of jail!" Melanie wailed, wringing her hands.

"No, I'm going to hunt down the weasel myself and cut his balls off," Sam growled. "Then I'll feed it to him."

"Sam, please, just forget him."

Sam paced around the kitchen, fighting down the anger that someone could do this to her sister. And that perfect Melanie could be so stupid.

"I just don't understand, Mel. You're the good one, the responsible one. You're at Princeton on a scholarship, for god's sake. If anyone was supposed to get knocked up and ruin her life, it was me!"

"You think I don't know that?" Melanie cried back. "My life was perfect, Sam. I was made for Princeton, it's the best place I've ever been in my life. My first year there was like a dream, I was getting straight A's, I'm on student council, I had a great boyfriend…And then the test came out positive. I can't do this, Sam. I can't be a mother." Melanie broke down crying, huge heaving sobs that Sam hadn't heard since they were six years old and had realized their dad was never coming back.

She walked over to Melanie and put her arms around her. Melanie cried into her shoulder, clutching at the back of her shirt.

They stood there for several minutes until Melanie's sobs turned into little hiccups and then until she had quieted down completely. Sam knew that her shirt was soaked through but she didn't care.

"What do you need me to do?" She asked.

Melanie pulled away and wiped her eyes. "I need you to take her."

"What?" Sam was sure she couldn't have heard that right.

"I can't raise a kid, Sam! I'm going to med school after I graduate, I'm going to be a doctor! I've already had to take a year off, when I go back I have to put my whole focus on school. Plus, I've never wanted to be a mom. Kids were never in my plan, ever."

"Maybe you should have thought of that before you went and spread your legs!" Sam yelled. "God, you're just like mom, Mel. I thought I was going to turn out like her but it's you, you're Pam 2.0."

Melanie burst into tears again and ran to the living room.

Sam slowly breathed in and out, putting her hands on the counter and stretching her arms as she bent her upper body forward at waist level. She counted slowly to ten, feeling her head clear little by little. After a few minutes of this and a few more pieces of ham, she felt calm enough to go into the living room and face her sister.

Melanie was sitting on the couch on the furthest end away from the baby. She wasn't crying anymore, just sitting there and playing with her hands.

Sam sat down on the arm chair again. "Look, Mel, I'm sorry…"

"No, I deserved that," she said quietly. "I was going to abort her, you know. I made an appointment and everything. But then I got to the clinic and I couldn't go in. I just…couldn't. I kept thinking of mom, she was this age when she had us. What if she had…?" A tear rolled down her cheek. "I couldn't do it."

Sam grabbed one of her hands and held onto it. "You should have called me, Mel. I would have been there."

She shook her head. "No, you had your restaurant and you sounded so happy. It was my problem, I had to deal with it. After that, I thought about putting her up for adoption. I researched different agencies in New Jersey. Even up to last week I was thinking about it. But I can't do that either."

"I can't raise a kid, Mel," Sam said honestly.

"I have no other choice! Please, you have to help me. Please, Sam?"

"Maybe adoption won't be so bad…We can look at agencies here, make sure she goes to a good family."

The baby started crying right then and Melanie looked absolutely terrified.

"I hate it when she cries," she whispered. "And she does it all the time."

Sam blew out a breath. "She's a baby, Mel, it's pretty much all she knows how to do."

The baby kept crying and Melanie just sat there, running her hands through her frazzled hair. Finally Sam got up and went over to the baby because Melanie certainly wasn't going to. She slowly picked up the baby, feeling terrified of how small she was. She didn't think she'd ever held a baby this small and new before. Sam made sure to support her head and slowly started rocking her, gently swaying side to side.

She had to admit, Charlotte was a beautiful baby. She had a full head of blonde hair, plump rosy cheeks, and her bright blue eyes blinked up at her as she stopped crying. Sam's heart melted. Okay, yeah, this was an adorable baby.

"Hey, look, I made her stop crying."

The sound of the door closing answered her. Sam turned around. "Melanie?"

She was gone. Sam quickly put the baby back down in the stroller and she immediately started crying again but Sam ran to the door and threw it open.

"Melanie!" She yelled at her sister who was at the end of the hall and frantically pushing the elevator button. She turned around and Sam could see the tears pouring down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Sam," she said. "I can't do it."

"Get back here, Melanie! This is your daughter!"

The elevator doors opened and Melanie stepped in. "I trust you, Sam. More than anyone else in the world. I know you'll take care of her like she's yours."

The elevator doors closed and Sam had half a mind to chase after Melanie, knock her out and bring her back tied up if she had to, but the baby was still crying behind her. Her baby niece that had just been abandoned by her mother.

Sam slumped against the doorframe. She had no idea what she was going to do.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The call went straight to voicemail again. Freddie groaned and threw the phone on his bed in frustration. It had been three days since his conversation with Sam in her office and she hadn't returned any of his calls. He had gone to the restaurant on Saturday but Abby, one of the hostesses, told him that Sam had called in sick. He might have thought that she was lying to him to cover for Sam but Abby had looked genuinely confused and concerned, Sam never called in sick, ever. And the last time Freddie himself had seen Sam sick was when Missy had given her that rancid chocolate a lifetime ago.

Sunday morning he had shown up at her apartment building with bacon and potato soup but Chester, the good humored elderly doorman at her building, told him that Sam had just stepped out to run errands. He thought that whatever she had must have been a one day bug or something and he considered waiting in the lobby for Sam to come back but that seemed to cross the boundaries of creepy, even by his standards.

Freddie could accept that Sam was sick or busy and didn't have time to see him, he just didn't know why she wouldn't return any of his phone calls. Maybe she was regretting that moment they had in her office. Maybe he had read her wrong and she didn't feel the same way he did…

He flopped down onto his bed, feeling miserable.

He'd been trying to get over Sam, he really had. He had gone on that date with Caroline from his comp sci class and on that blind date Carly had set him up on. But he just ended up comparing every girl to Sam in his mind. And of course they always fell short. He found other girls attractive, sure, but no one occupied his mind and got under his skin like Sam did. No one made him so angry, so crazy, and so unbelievably happy like she did.

The truth was, he had been ready to get on his knees and grovel for her to take him back at the beginning of senior year. It was Gibby, of all people, that had changed his mind.

"_I know what you're thinking," Gibby said as Freddie watched Sam walk up the stairs and out of the restaurant._

"_Huh?" Freddie reluctantly turned his attention to him when Sam was out of view._

"_You want her back," Gibby said._

_Freddie sat down on one of the stools while Gibby wiped down the counter._

"_So what if I do?" He asked defensively._

_Gibby shook his head sadly. "Freddie Freddie Freddie…"_

"_What? You think she likes someone else? Did she say something about me?" He asked in rapid fire succession._

_Gibby held a hand up to stop him. "See? Always thinking about yourself."_

"_What is that supposed to mean?"_

"_It means that have you even considered what Sam wants?"_

_Freddie's heart sank. "You think she won't want to get back together?"_

"_I'm saying that maybe you want to try and be her friend again first because frankly, you've been sucky at it."_

"_What do you mean? She's been so busy here and spending all her time with you…" Freddie tried not to make his voice sound accusatory but he knew he didn't succeed._

"_And you've been hanging out with Carly. The street goes both ways."_

_Freddie pressed his palm to his forehead. "I don't know what you're getting at, Gibby."_

"_Do you know what Sam and I have been doing lately?" Gibby asked._

"_No…" He wasn't all that sure he wanted to hear this._

"_We've been trying to figure out a way to get Gibby's from down here to up there," he pointed upwards to the ceiling and Freddie looked up, not getting what he meant at all._

"_In the school…?"_

"_Out in Seattle. We want to make Gibby's a real restaurant."_

_Freddie smiled. "That's nice, Gib, but it sounds kinda crazy."_

_Gibby opened his arms wide. "That's what Carly said about this place but do you know how much money we're making? Even counting all the expenses for food and supplies, it's a lot of money."_

"_Yeah, but, a real restaurant is different, Gib. Sam can't go around hiring the services of her paroled relatives, you have to get permits, you have to pay taxes…" _

"_That's why you can't be with Sam yet," Gibby said._

"_Why?" Freddie asked in disbelief. "Because I'm realistic?"_

"_Because Sam is crazy enough to make the unbelievable happen and you don't understand that."_

_Freddie bristled. Who did Gibby think he was? Up until last year he and Sam had barely been friends and he thought he knew her better than Freddie did? _

"_I believe in Sam, okay? I know that she's capable of doing anything that she puts her mind to. I've always known that-"_

"_I'm not saying you don't. It's just that Sam doesn't believe any of that about herself. And if you and Carly start saying stuff like that to her then she might not go through with it. That's why she hasn't told you about our plans."_

"_I won't say anything. I'll be supportive," Freddie promised._

_Gibby just looked at him. "Freddie."_

_He put his hands up. "I swear!"_

"_Even when you're mad at her? Even when you're yelling stuff at her during your couple arguments?"_

_Freddie paused. "I'll try…"_

_Gibby shook his head. "Not good enough. This is her dream, Freddie. She won't say it but it is. And we both know that she's awesome at this. The only reason that Gibby's is doing so well is because of her."_

_Freddie hated that Gibby was making so much sense. He drained the bottle of root beer in front of him and slid it across the counter where Gibby caught it neatly._

"_Can I ask you something, Gib?"_

"_Sure."_

"_Do you like Sam? I mean, like I like Sam…?"_

_Gibby started laughing. He laughed so hard that he bent down and Freddie lost sight of him behind the counter. After a couple minutes he stood up again and tried to compose himself._

"_You're kidding, right?"_

_Freddie scowled, the nagging feeling in his stomach not easing one bit. "You did ask her to a dance that one time."_

"_Back in middle school and then she broke my thumbs."_

"_You guys spend so much time together now," Freddie persisted._

"_We're partners, we run this place together," Gibby crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. "You know I've always been afraid of Sam, I still am sometimes. But she's a cool chick and she's kinda like a sister. Gibbeh don't roll that way."_

_Freddie breathed out. "Right. Sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. She just makes me a little crazy sometimes you know?"_

_Gibby nodded. "I hear you."_

"_So you really don't think I should try to get back together with her?" He asked._

"_I think Sam needs to do this for herself. And I think you need to not be in the way for awhile."_

_Ouch. Whatever anyone said about Gibby, the kid could be brutally honest sometimes. And also unexpectedly wise._

"_So," Gibby said. "I had an idea. What do you think of jalapeno and red pepper milkshakes?"_

_But then most of the time he was just Gibby._

Against all odds Sam had really done it. She had opened Gibby's in Seattle and at the end of the first year it had already broken even on the capital she and Gibby had put up. Now in its second year they were turning a profit. It was really remarkable for a small business venture. The Seattle Times had done a feature on Gibby's and The Seattle Beat had interviewed them. Freddie was so proud of her that he could burst. But he had to watch it all from the sidelines.

He tried to support Sam as much as he could but he couldn't help but feel that she used the restaurant and school to put up a wall between them and as much as it pained him, Freddie had to let her, always keeping in mind what Gibby said about not getting in the way.

He thought that he might have finally smashed through a portion of that wall on Friday night. But it was looking more and more like he was wrong and Sam didn't want him the way he wanted her. Maybe he had waited a little too long.

He heard the front door slam close.

"Freddiebear!" His mom called out. "Can you help me with these groceries?"

Freddie dragged himself out of bed and into the front entryway where his mom was holding a bag of groceries and there were two more on the floor. He picked them up and followed her to the kitchen.

"Oh, Freddie," his mom said. "I stopped by Mall-mart and bought you a new package of underwear. I'll sew the days of the week on them right away-"

"Mom!" Freddie dropped the bags onto the counter. "I'm nineteen years old! It is not appropriate for you to be buying my underwear anymore."

"Freddie!" His mom gasped.

"And you know what? I haven't been using those days of the week underwear for FIVE years. Since I started high school."

His mom gasped again.

"Yeah, I have a secret stash of underwear that I have to hide in a false bottom of my dresser drawer. How pathetic is that?"

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a little voice was telling him that he was upset about Sam and he shouldn't be taking it out on his mom. But a much louder voice occupying a much larger part of his brain was telling him that this was a long time coming, that he should have never let his mom guilt him into living at home instead of at the Seattle Tech dorms just because she had cried for eight hours straight. And then she had bribed him with every piece of new technology that was featured in his latest issue of Pear Monthly. When that hadn't worked, she went in for the kill. No one could say that Marissa Benson didn't know her son and every weakness he had. Especially the biggest one.

She had presented him with a check that was made out to Samantha Puckett.

It was no secret by that point that Sam and Gibby were trying to expand Gibby's out into Seattle. He knew that Principal Franklin and Col. Shay had both invested money in the venture but they were still several thousand dollars short of what they needed to operate the business. What his mom had put in front of him was a check for ten thousand dollars, and she explained that she would invest the money in Sam's business if he agreed to live at home and stay out of the germ infested dorms where he could be corrupted with alcohol, drugs, and all kinds of college debauchery.

Freddie saw his one last chance at freedom, the escape that he'd been dreaming of all of his life, flash before his eyes. He might as well strap on an ankle bracelet because staying at home for his college career really was tantamount to subjecting himself to house arrest. But then he saw Sam's face and how close she was to achieving her dream. He, Freddie Benson, could help make that dream happen.

He told his mom yes, he'd live at home, on the condition that she give the check to Sam herself and act like it's her idea. She could not tell Sam anything about their arrangement. She had agreed and Freddie had only later on learned that in addition to giving the money, his mom had really helped Sam with talking to official city people and getting permits. When Freddie asked her about it she had answered that she was simply protecting her investment by making sure the restaurant actually opened, and she didn't want a repeat of the chicken incident.

It had softened Freddie a little towards his mom after the bribe, but it didn't make his life at home feel any less miserable and restrictive. The truth of it was, he was suffocating. He'd been feeling it for over a year now but had held it in because he really did owe his mom for helping out Sam.

But now the dam was bursting and he'd had enough.

"And you know what else is pathetic?" He continued. "Eleven o'clock curfews! I'm in college, mom. Do you know embarrassing it is to tell people that I have to be home by eleven? Do you know how many headaches I've had to fake? I'm pretty sure all of my friends at school think I have a brain tumor!"

"Freddie, just calm down…"

"No! I won't calm down. I'm nineteen years old, I'm an adult. It's about time you start seeing me as one and I don't think that's going to happen as long as I'm living here."

His mom sat down on a chair at the kitchen table, holding a hand to her chest.

"Freddie, what are you saying?"

"I'm moving out, mom. For good this time."

* * *

Sam stumbled onto the couch, practically tripping over her own feet. It was quiet in the apartment, finally blessedly quiet. She thought she'd forgotten what silence sounded like, what it was like to hear herself breathe, and _think_.

It's been three days since Melanie left, three days that she'd been alone with the baby and really, Sam didn't know how mothers did it. Charlotte cried all through the night. She slept for most of the day but for the life of her, Sam couldn't get her to sleep at night.

She blamed Melanie. After she had left on Friday night, Sam couldn't get Charlotte to stop crying. It was like she knew that her mother had abandoned her and this woman that looked like her mom and sounded like her mom wasn't really her mom. It was like baby super senses. Sam didn't get her to sleep until around six am and that apparently set the pattern for Charlotte's "night" sleep to start at dawn.

Of course, Charlotte could just naturally be a daytime sleeper and a night baby but Sam didn't know because all of her attempts to try and contact her sister had been futile. At least Melanie had packed a bag for the baby, with some diapers, clothes, formula and bottles, plus the stroller was one of those bassinet types for newborns that she could sleep in. But the supplies wouldn't last for more than a few days.

On Saturday Sam had called in sick to work and spent much of the morning that Charlotte slept catching up on sleep herself. She then spent the afternoon freaking out and trying to call Melanie in between tending to Charlotte's baby needs. On Sunday she had Gibby go into the restaurant for her while she went out shopping for more baby supplies. She had asked Chester not to mention the baby if any of her friends (namely Freddie) came over while she was gone. Poor Chester seemed confused but didn't ask any questions.

Sam knew that she couldn't stay MIA at the restaurant and keep the baby a secret forever. It was only a matter of time before either Julie or Gibby came over to check on her. But a part of her was still hoping that Melanie would come back. She just couldn't understand how her sister could dump her baby and still be able to live with herself. Maybe desertion really was in the Puckett genes. She had accused Melanie of being like their mother but right now she was doing a damn good imitation of their father.

And then there was the Freddie situation, which Sam had to force herself to put out of her mind. She had only turned on her phone briefly on Saturday and there were ten text messages and fourteen phone calls from him. She wanted more than anything to hear his voice, or even better to see his face, to have him come over and tell her that everything was going to be alright. But she couldn't burden him with this. This kind of drama was the pains of being a Puckett and she had to deal with it.

* * *

His mom had cried, she went down on her knees and begged him, and she had attempted to bribe him again, but this time Freddie held firm. He packed his bags, walked across the hall and knocked at the door of 8D.

Spencer opened the door. "Hey Freddie."

"Hey Spence, can I stay here for awhile?"

From inside 8C they could hear a miserable wailing, which sounded more banshee-like than human.

"Fight with your mom?"

"Big one."

Spencer stepped aside and gestured with one arm. "Come in."

Freddie dragged his bags in and Spencer moved to help when he saw how much stuff he had.

"Whoa, planning to move in?"

"No, I just need to crash here until I find my own place," he grimaced. "Preferably not in the basement again."

"You really moved out?" Spencer asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah, I really did."

"Dude!" He yelled out. "Finally!"

He held up his hand in a high five which Freddie wholeheartedly returned.

"Man," Spencer shook his head. "I thought you'd never leave that place."

"Me either." Freddie moved to sit on the couch but then realized he probably wasn't out of hot water yet. He went to the door, locked and chained it, and only then did he sit on the couch.

Spencer came over with two bottles of Peppy Cola and sat down beside him. "What did you and your mom fight about?"

"Just…stupid stuff. But it isn't about the fight. I've just had enough, you know?"

Spencer nodded and sipped his drink. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why didn't you move into the dorms last year like a normal freshman?"

Freddie sighed. "It's complicated."

"Well, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you need."

"Thanks Spence," he said sincerely, feeling genuinely grateful. "You sure I'm not gonna cramp your style?"

Spencer made a 'pssh' sound. "Please. I lived with a teenage girl for years. Two, if you count Sam."

Freddie grinned.

"There's no worse style crampers than teenage girls and I still had game."

Freddie almost spit out his drink as he started laughing. "Okay, one, you should be glad that Sam or Carly aren't here to hear you say that. And two, you're still single."

Spencer pointed a finger at him. "You want to sleep in the hall?"

He held up a hand innocently.

"So, Freddo, what do you want to do on your first night of freedom?"

Freddie rubbed his chin and pretended to think. Spencer was practically bouncing with excitement next to him.

"Laser tag with Galaxy Wars guns?" He grinned.

"Laser tag with Galaxy Wars guns!" Spencer yelled and ran wildly into his bedroom.

* * *

It had only been five days but already Sam's apartment was looking like baby central. She had bought all of the essentials, baby formula, diapers, some clothes, and a changing table. All of which were placed rather carelessly around the apartment but Sam didn't have the energy to clean on top of everything else she had to do. She had also bought toys, cute little cuddly toys, all of which Charlotte had rejected, and an actual bassinet, which she placed in her bedroom. Sam had thought of buying a crib but held off on it.

There was one thing that Sam had learned in four days. Motherhood sucked. It sucked really really bad. She almost, _almost _couldn't blame her sister for wanting to skip out on it. Just almost.

Charlotte was currently down for her nap and Sam took the opportunity to work on her assignments since she was missing her classes this week. Of course she wasn't even halfway through typing her paper when the baby began crying.

Sam sighed heavily and hopped off her stool. "I'm coming, I'm coming," she muttered.

For a tiny baby, Charlotte sure could scream loud. Sam picked up Charlotte gently, wincing when the crying came right near her ear and then even more when she felt the heaviness on her bottom half, meaning that it was time for a diaper change.

She brought her to the changing table and quickly changed her diaper, finally feeling like she was getting the hang of this. Charlotte stopped crying, thankfully, and Sam picked her up and sat down on her bed, leaning against the headboard with the baby in her arms.

Charlotte's big baby eyes blinked up at her, her mouth opening in a tiny little o.

"See, when you're not crying, you're pretty cute," Sam said. She ran a hand through her soft curls and inhaled her baby smell. Babies did smell pretty good most of the time.

"I know you miss your mama," she said softly. "But you know what? Auntie Sam is way cooler."

Charlotte's arm went up and Sam took hold of her little hand, not believing that a human being could have fingers that were so teeny tiny. And then those tiny fingers latched onto her pinky, which was humongous in comparison, gripping tight and those blue eyes blinked up at her. Sam's heart clenched and she felt a love so complete and so pure run through her. This baby was so small, so innocent of the world that had given her the unfortunate luck of being born to two crappy parents. Right then Sam was determined not to become a crappy aunt. Maybe just maybe she could give this little girl a better upbringing and a better life than what she had. She certainly deserved it.

"I'll take care of you, Charlie," she whispered. "I promise I'll never leave you."

Her little mouth turned up in what Sam could swear was a smile.

"Do you like that, huh? Do you like Charlie? Okay, from now on you'll be Charlie," she said and pressed a kiss to her head.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for all your reviews! Keep 'em coming, I love knowing what you guys think. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So from your reviews I'm getting the feeling that you all want Freddie to meet Charlie? In that case this chapter should make you really happy. :)  
**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

_Crib, playpen, car seat, more clothes, shoes, bottles, pacifiers, toys that don't make her cry at the sight of them…_

Sam listed down the things for Charlie that she still needed to buy, it seemed to be never ending. Who knew that babies needed so much stuff? She had decided that she was going to convert her spare bedroom into Charlie's room and that was a whole other project.

Sam looked down at Charlie where she was contentedly lying on the blankets she had spread on the floor of the living room, pillows surrounding her.

"I don't suppose you're going to help me, are you? Are you are you?" She cooed, tickling the baby's tummy who gurgled back at her.

A knock came at the door and Sam started.

"Who is that?" She asked Charlie, who of course had no answer. But Sam had a few guesses.

She thought about not answering the door and pretending she wasn't home. But she couldn't hide from the world forever and, more importantly, she couldn't hide Charlie now that she knew for sure that she was keeping her.

"Stay there," Sam pointed at Charlie and got up.

She took a breath before opening the door and on the other side was a very worried looking Julie.

"Sam! Where have you been? Are you still sick?"

"Not exactly. A…family crisis came up."

Julie looked at her in concern. "What happened?"

Sam opened the door wider and stepped aside, letting Julie see the chaos that was the apartment and the baby in the middle of it all.

Julie's head went back and forth between her and the baby, her mouth open. "Okay, how long have you been gone?"

Despite herself, Sam smiled. "That's Charlie, my niece."

"Your niece? Then that means that's Melanie's kid?"

"Right in one."

"I thought Stuart said Melanie was the smart one? Or in his words, the more uptight one?"

"She was. Apparently she loosened up just enough to let something in and for something else to pop out."

Julie's lips quirked up but she didn't say anything, just kneeled next to the baby. One of the things Sam liked about Julie was that she was more hard edge than she looked, she could appreciate a lot of Sam's crudeness that shocked or disgusted Carly, Freddie, and Spencer.

"So you've been baby-sitting this whole time?" Julie asked. "Where's Melanie?"

Sam sat down in her spot by Charlie's feet. "She's gone."

"What do you mean gone?"

"I mean, she left her baby here and took off. I'm assuming she's back in New Jersey now. She disconnected her phone so that I can't contact her."

"Wait…You're telling me she just left her baby here with you and what? She's never coming back?"

Sam looked down, grabbing hold of one Charlie's little sock covered feet.

"I guess so," she said.

"But who's going to take care of the baby? Who's going to raise her?"

"I am," Sam said simply.

"You are?" Julie gaped at her. "Sam, you can't raise a baby."

Sam bristled. If there was one thing she didn't like, it was being told that she _couldn't_ do something.

"Why not?" She frowned.

"You're nineteen! You're in school, you have the restaurant…Sam, have you thought about this? It's a commitment you're making for the rest of your life."

"It's all I've been thinking about for this whole week, okay? You think I don't know all of that, Jules? You don't think it's been going around and around in my head how impossible this is? But what choice do I have?"

Julie backed down. She was quiet for a moment, seeming to give that some serious thought.

"Well, what about your mom?" She finally asked.

It was so ludicrous that Sam could almost laugh. "You're kidding, right? My mom could barely raise me! I know you haven't met Pam Puckett but you've heard the horror stories. They're not exaggerated."

"You didn't turn out so bad," Julie pointed out.

"Yeah, because I had Carly, Spencer, Freddie, and Gibby. You can only hope for that kind of luck," she said softly.

Julie was quiet and Sam picked up Charlie, placing her head by her shoulder and cuddling her. She could see Julie watching her carefully.

"Your mind's made up, isn't it?"

"Yes." She said seriously. And Sam realized that it was. She was going to raise Charlie like her own kid, she was essentially going to become a mother at nineteen. It was absolutely terrifying, but also strangely thrilling. Sam had always liked challenges.

"Can I hold her?" Julie asked.

Sam carefully placed Charlie in Julie's arms, making sure her head was supported.

"Wow, she really looks like you."

"She looks like Melanie," Sam corrected.

"Who looks like you," Julie grinned. "Who's the cutest baby in the world? Who?" She cooed at Charlie.

"Oh," she said, pulling back slightly. "I think her eyes are going to be green."

"What?" Sam leaned forward. "They're blue!"

"Yeah, but all babies eyes are blue when they're born. Most change color. Hers have some greenish tints when you look close."

Sam brought her face close to Charlie's, she could kind of see what Julie was talking about.

"Must be the dad," she shrugged. "Me and Melanie have blue eyes."

"Where _is_ the dad?" Julie asked.

"Mel wouldn't tell me his name. She said he bailed as soon as he found out she was pregnant."

Julie made a face.

"Us Pucketts do know how to pick the winners," Sam said.

"What's that?" Julie nodded her head towards Sam's notepad.

"A list of baby stuff I still need to buy."

Julie's eyes lit up. "Shopping?"

* * *

Charlie was crying again and Sam was running around trying to do five things at once. She took Charlie's bottle out of the microwave and set it on the counter to cool.

"I know, I know you're hungry, baby," she called out as Charlie screamed her head off from inside her playpen. "It's coming."

She had her own backpack and Charlie's baby bag sitting next to each other on the counter and she was packing her books as well as the baby's things so that she could stay with Julie for the afternoon. She groaned when she realized that she packed some diapers in her own bag. Maybe she was losing her mind a little.

After a few minutes she thought that the milk should be cool enough and quickly tested it on her arm. Satisfied, Sam made her way over to Charlie and picked her up.

"Here you go," she said, placing it at her lips and Charlie sucked at it eagerly.

Sam was about to sit down when the phone rang. She looked down at the baby in her arms and at the phone on the kitchen counter. She tried to balance Charlie in her arms and the bottle against her chest so that she could free up one hand to answer the phone without Charlie losing contact with her bottle. She managed to succeed for half a second, just long enough to knock the phone off its stand and press the speaker button.

"Hello?" She said.

"Sam!" Julie answered back. "Emilio's sick."

"What?" She cried.

"His wife called, he has the flu. Picked it up from one of his kids."

"But that means…"

"I have to go in," Julie finished.

"Who's going to watch Charlie?"

"I'm sorry, Sam." And Julie did sound truly apologetic.

"It's not your fault," Sam said. "I just…I can't miss this test."

"Can you get one of your friends to watch her?"

A little over a week had gone by since Melanie left and while the staff at the restaurant was now updated on Sam's situation, she hadn't gotten around to telling Carly, Freddie, or Spencer yet. She knew she couldn't keep them in the dark forever but if she was honest with herself, their reactions to Charlie and her newfound motherhood scared Sam the most. She didn't think she could make it through this without their support but she was afraid to ask for it, afraid of how they'll react.

"Maybe I can ask Gibby?" She said. Gibby, by virtue of being involved with the restaurant, was the next person after Julie to find out about Charlie and Sam had asked him not to tell their friends.

"He's here at the restaurant. Remember it's time for our yearly health inspection next week? He has a crew going through this place with a fine toothed comb."

Sam closed her eyes. Normally, she'd be the one taking care of all of that, but she had been pretty much stuck at home for the past week. She felt guilty about neglecting Gibby's but her hands were tied. Today was going to be her first day to venture outside on her own post-Charlie, and only because she had an exam at school that's worth forty percent of her grade in that class.

"Okay, okay. I'll think of something. Thanks Julie."

"Good luck, Sam!" She said.

Sam looked down at Charlie, who was over halfway done with her bottle and released it, indicating that she was full. Sam set down the bottle and then placed a towel on her shoulder and adjusted Charlie so that she could burp her.

"What am I going to do?" she asked futilely.

She had only three options, really. Carly, Freddie, or Spencer. She put Charlie down and started to finish packing up their things. She was heading to Bushwell Plaza.

* * *

A half hour later Sam opened the door to Bushwell and pushed Charlie's stroller ahead of her. She had a sick, nervous feeling in her stomach but she pressed on, knowing that she had no choice. The lobby was mercifully empty, Lewbert nowhere in sight. Sam guessed he was probably in his office taking a nap.

She decided to take the Shays' private elevator, afraid of running into Freddie in the hall. She knew that leaving a baby alone with Spencer Shay for several hours was probably not the greatest idea but Sam was desperate. And she didn't really feel up to facing Carly and Freddie just yet.

The doors opened and Sam pushed the stroller into the living room, expecting to see Spencer, but instead it was Freddie sitting at the counter in front of the computer.

He turned to her and his eyes gravitated to the stroller.

She tried to be casual. "Oh hey, Freddie," she said. "Where's Spencer?"

"He's out with Socko. Sam, what's in the stroller?"

"What are you doing here, then?"

"I…uh, live here. Sam! Stop deflecting the question," he said, raising his voice.

Charlie let out a short cry.

"Indoor voices," she glared at Freddie and hunched down to soothe the baby.

Freddie came up beside her and looked into the stroller.

"Who's baby is that?"

"Mine," she said simply.

Freddie looked at her. "Sam, give me some credit. I think I would have noticed if you'd been pregnant these past nine months."

"Melanie gave birth to her but decided that's all she wanted to do so now she's mine."

Freddie looked hopelessly confused and Sam couldn't blame him, so she told him the whole story, starting with Friday night when Melanie showed up at her door. He listened and when she was done he just sat back down on the stool. She gave him a few minutes to digest it all, fussing with Charlie to occupy herself.

"So Melanie just left…Forever?" Freddie asked.

Sam shrugged. "She said she doesn't want to be a mother."

"But…" He shook his head. "That's amazing though, that you're taking her in."

"What else can I do?"

"I don't know," he said. "Put her up for adoption? You wouldn't do that though."

Sam sighed, feeling tired but relieved. Freddie was reacting far better than she expected him to.

"You said you live here?" She asked, wanting to take the focus off of her for a moment.

"Oh. Yeah, I got into a fight with my mom and I moved out."

"Well, finally, Benson," Sam said, nodding in approval. "Didn't go far though, did you?"

"This is just temporary. I'm trying to find an apartment. Why were you looking for Spencer?"

Sam started, she'd almost forgotten about her exam. If she didn't leave soon she was going to be late.

"I was going to ask him to watch Charlie for a few hours. I have an exam that's like, forty percent of my grade."

Freddie raised an eyebrow. "Spencer, really?"

"I'm desperate, Benson! Julie was supposed to do it but Emilio's sick so she's stuck at the restaurant."

"Well, I can do it," he offered.

"You can?" She asked hopefully.

"I don't have class so I'll just be here all afternoon. I'll watch her."

Sam was so relieved she could have kissed his feet but then she remembered something. "Come here a sec," she told him.

Freddie hopped off the stool and walked over to her. She grabbed the back of his head, fisting her hand in his hair and pushed his head down in front of Charlie.

"Ow ow… Sam, what are you doing?"

Charlie looked up at him, gurgling and waving her little arm. Sam let him go.

He rubbed the back of his head, patting down his hair.

"What was that?" He exclaimed.

"Just making sure she doesn't hate you like your cousin Stephanie."

"My cousin Stephanie does not hate me," he paused. "…Anymore." He added reluctantly.

"Okay, I have to go but all of her things are in her bag," Sam pointed to the bag tucked into the space of the stroller beneath the bassinet. "I just fed her before we left but she didn't finish her bottle so she might get hungry again in a couple of hours, make sure to burp her after she eats, she doesn't like things being waved in front of her face…What else?"

"Sam!" Freddie took her by the shoulders. "I've taken care of babies before, I have cousins. Go, take your test, we'll be fine."

She tried to fight the warmth in her chest at being this close to him. She turned to Charlie instead, bending down to kiss her forehead. "Be a good girl for Freddie," she murmured. "I'll be back soon."

Freddie pressed the elevator button for her.

"Thank you," she said to him as the doors opened.

He smiled at her. "Go kick ass on that test."

* * *

Freddie was in baby hell.

Who knew that a baby that was barely a month old could be so much work? He thought all they did was sleep! He barely heard a peep out of his youngest cousin, Albert, when he was this age.

But then he had had his mother near him at all times from what Freddie could remember. Charlie had seemed to feel Sam's absence about fifteen minutes after she left and started crying her heart out. Freddie picked her up and rocked her and danced around the apartment with her. He finally got her to stop crying after half an hour of rocking and soothing. But then every time he put her down in her stroller she started crying again so he had to keep holding her.

He'd also had to change her diaper twice. The first time wasn't so bad. The second time was awful. The smell was terrible and Freddie was convinced that the contents of the diaper had been toxic. All she eats is milk, how does she produce all of that? Babies were such a mystery.

After that he'd brought her up to Carly's room and set her down on the bed, figuring that he could find something in there that was nice and girly and baby safe. He found a small pink bear and forgot about what Sam had said about not waving things in front of Charlie's face. She had let out a cry and kicked out her foot, hitting the bear squarely in the chest, knocking it out of his hand and into his eye. He was lucky it was soft but the little bear hand had hit his cornea and it stung a little.

After that he'd taken Charlie back downstairs and fed her. She had sucked her bottle eagerly and almost finished it but he guessed she got too full because when he burped her she ended up spitting up instead. The regurgitated milk and drool had somehow ended up largely on his shirt sleeve and his neck instead of the towel he had put on his shoulder.

He couldn't put her down long enough to clean up and change his shirt so now he was just lying down on the couch, Charlie on his chest, finally asleep. The drool and gunk had dried, making him feel dirty and stinky but as long as the baby was asleep, he wouldn't complain.

This was how Sam found him when she opened the door. He looked up at her, immense relief filling his body.

"You're a mess," she grinned.

"Really?" He asked, sarcasm coating his voice. "Cause I feel so fresh and well rested."

Sam took out her phone and started snapping pictures.

"Hey, Sam!" He whisper yelled, trying not to wake the baby. "Stop that!"

She laughed. "You should see yourself, Benson. You look like a truck ran over you."

"Again," she added.

"Haha," he said.

Sam kneeled down next to the couch and carefully lifted Charlie from his chest, making sure not to wake her. Freddie sighed blissfully as the weight lifted from his chest. He sat up, flexing out his aching arms that had been holding the baby for far too long. There was a wet spot in the middle of his chest where Charlie had been drooling as she slept and he grimaced. He took off his shirt and walked to the kitchen, rinsing out the dried drool and gunk on his neck at the sink.

He didn't notice Sam flush red as she watched him take his shirt off. She pretended to be busy with the baby as he walked by her, but she couldn't help gawking at his naked chest out of the corner of her eye. It had been so long since she had seen him without a shirt and while he had already been pretty impressively built when they were dating, it seemed the past two years had been very good to Freddie. His chest was toned, and the muscles in his arms were built but not overly big, just how she liked it. Heat filled Sam's stomach and she had to force her eyes away.

She sat down on the couch with Charlie in her arms just as Freddie walked back in from the kitchen.

"I'm gonna go grab a shirt," he told her. He climbed the stairs up to the third floor, where he was staying. Spencer had told him that he could sleep in Carly's room since she hardly ever came home and didn't spend the night even when she did. But Freddie felt kind of weird about taking over her room. For one thing, even though Carly had moved out, her room still stayed largely the same. All of the furniture and most of the decorations were still in place so it was still hopelessly girly. But more than that, he felt like he would be intruding on Carly's domain if he slept there.

So instead he moved into their former studio, which also stayed largely the same except that Freddie had taken all of his camera equipment when they ended iCarly. He and Spencer set up a cot underneath the window and Freddie actually felt right at home. This place held many good memories, he couldn't ask for a better temporary home. He quickly put on a new shirt and ran back downstairs.

Sam was still on the couch with Charlie. He sat down beside her and just looked at them, it amazed Freddie how natural Sam looked with the baby, her eyes full of tenderness and love as she gazed down at the bundle in her arms.

"What are you staring at, nub?" Sam asked, snapping Freddie out of his thoughts.

"Nothing. I just…I never thought I'd see you like this, with a baby and all."

That was a lie. He had imagined Sam with a baby a few times before, and it had always been his. He didn't think she would appreciate hearing that though.

Sam stood up and placed Charlie in her stroller. She then flopped back down onto the couch, groaning in exhaustion.

"You okay?" Freddie asked.

She glared at him. "Do I look okay?"

"Come here," he said, motioning her closer to him. "Turn around."

Sam must have been tired because she did what he said without complaint. Freddie placed his hands on her shoulders and started massaging them, he could feel her muscles so tight and tense. Sam moaned as he kneaded her back.

"Oh yes…"

Freddie adjusted his seating position a little, her moaning was doing things to his…lower regions. He really didn't think this through.

"I don't think I can do this," Sam said.

He started panicking. Did she feel that? His lower half wasn't even touching her. Was she talking about them?

She moved out of his reach and lay down, her head on the opposite side of the couch.

"I can't raise a baby, what am I thinking?"

Oh. She was talking about that.

"Of course you can, Sam," he said. "You can do anything."

She sat up again quickly and faced him. "No, I can't! I can't get Charlie to sleep normally. I can't pay any attention to the restaurant because I have to stay home all day with the baby. And I'm pretty sure I blew that test today so I can't do school either."

She stood up and started pacing near the door. "I hate Melanie! She's the one that screwed up and yet somehow I'm the one that has to clean up after her. It's always been that way, first my mom, now her. I make mistakes, I have to deal with them. They make mistakes, they just run away and expect me to deal with it all. I can't do it!" She cried out. She picked up a pillow and threw it at the floor.

Freddie knew that what she really wanted to do was punch the wall or something but that would wake Charlie.

He stood up and pulled her into his arms, she resisted, trying to push him off but he refused to be pushed and used all his strength to pull her in and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Her body tensed against his and he thought she might pull away and punch him, he braced himself for it, still not letting her go. Eventually, she seemed to give up struggling and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his middle.

"You can do this," he said into her ear. "I know you can."

She pulled away and shook her head. "I think I'm going to have to give up school for awhile."

"What? No! No, you can't do that."

"Well, I'm going to fail anyways if I keep missing class! And there's no one to watch Charlie."

"I'll watch her," he said quickly.

She let out a chuckle with no mirth in it. "You should have seen yourself when I came home, Freddie. We both know Charlie isn't an easy baby. She ran you down in a matter of hours."

"I'll get used to it."

Sam looked at him skeptically.

"I will," he defended. "Look, you're right, Charlie is high maintenance."

"She's a Puckett," Sam interjected.

"And you do have a lot on your plate," he continued. "But I meant when I said that you can do it. You'll just need a little bit of help." He looked into her eyes. "Let me help you."

Sam looked back at him, her eyes tired, the circles beneath them were like bruises.

"I…I should go home," she said softly.

Freddie felt stung, she was rejecting him again. Why is that Sam Puckett seemed to accept help from everyone but him?

She moved forwards and he stepped aside to let her pass but instead she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, Freddie," she said. "But I can't do that to you. This is my screwed up family mess and my problems."

And that did it, that gave him the resolve he needed.

"I'll walk you home," he said when she pulled away. He took his jacket off the hook and put it on before she could even protest. He picked her backpack up from the floor and slung it over his shoulder while Sam got Charlie ready.

Freddie knew what he had to do now. He knew that Sam needed his help, but wouldn't say it. But more than that, she probably wanted it but wouldn't admit it. He was just going to have to wear her down and let her know that he wasn't going anywhere and that she doesn't have to do this alone.

* * *

They walked the short distance to Sam's apartment building. When they got to the door, Freddie saw Sam look longingly in the direction of Gibby's. It was only a few more blocks away, he could see a crowd on the sidewalk up ahead as groups of people exited the restaurant and some entered. Her shoulders slumped and she went into her own building.

"I know it's a mess," Sam said as she turned the key in her lock and pushed open the apartment door. It _was_ a mess, baby things scattered all over the place.

"I'm going to go put her down," she told him and pushed the stroller into her bedroom.

Freddie moved to sit down on her couch but had to pick up and fold several blankets first, and move plastic bags full of baby clothes. Sam came out and saw him cleaning up and sprawled out on the couch.

"You can keep doing that," she said. "Maybe you can do the kitchen after you're done in here.

He smiled and sat down beside her.

"You haven't me hired me yet. You don't get the full nanny service until you give me the official word."

Sam sighed. "Do you really want to do this, Freddie?" She asked.

"Yes," he told her seriously.

She leaned her head against the back of the couch. "Fine," she grumbled. "I could use the help."

Freddie grinned.

"I'm going to make the second bedroom into Charlie's room, it's going to be so much work."

"I'll help with that too," he said.

Sam looked at him. "I haven't told Carly about Charlie yet," she admitted.

"Why not?"

She shrugged. "Carly knows Melanie. I think that out of all people she'll be…"

"Disappointed?" He finished. "That feeling won't extend to you, Sam. What you're doing is nothing short of heroic…"

"Or stupid," she interrupted.

"It's not stupid. You love your family, Sam. You go out of your way to stand by them no matter what."

"God knows why," she muttered.

He brushed back her hair, tucking a piece behind her ear. "Because that's who you are."

He looked into her eyes and down to her lips, he was so close, all he had to do was lean in a few more inches…He saw the look in her eyes, the same one he saw that night in her office, the one that told him that she wanted this too. She leaned in, almost closing the distance between them.

The baby started crying and Sam moved back. She started to get up but Freddie pulled her back down.

"I'll get her," he said.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it'll be practice for when I'm alone with her again."

He walked to her bedroom and made his way to where Charlie whimpering inside her bassinet.

"You are a mood killer," he muttered as he lifted her up and cradled her in his arms.

He started rocking her and made soothing sounds. She stopped crying and looked up at him with her big baby eyes that made him melt.

"But a really cute mood killer," he conceded.

"You're not so bad yourself, Benson."

He jumped, tightening his hold reflexively on Charlie, and turned to see Sam watching him from the doorway.

"Sam! Don't do that when I'm holding the baby!"

"Relax," she smiled. "I know you won't drop her."

"She really looks like you," he said.

"Why do people keep saying that? She looks like Melanie."

"And by default that means she looks like you," he pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Why don't you take a nap? I'll watch her for a few hours."

Sam looked at him in disbelief. "Haven't you had enough for the day?"

"I've recovered. And you look like you could use some rest."

"Is that your way of saying I look like a mess?"

"You're beautiful," he said sincerely. "You always are."

She blushed and looked away. "Yeah yeah, whatever. I actually could use a nap."

"We'll just be out in the living room."

Sam stopped him as he walked by her and placed a kiss on Charlie's head. She looked up at him and kissed his cheek.

"Keep her quiet, will you?"

"I'll do my best," he smiled.

Freddie settled himself on the couch with Charlie in his arms and turned on the TV.

"You better get used to me," he said softly. "I love your Aunt Sam very much and I'm not going anywhere."

Her hand clutched his shirt and her lips turned up in a little smile. He took that as approval. Satisfied, he settled back to watch the Science Channel with Charlie.

* * *

**A/N: Next it will be Carly's turn to meet Charlie. The story's going to start to pick up its now and we'll be getting to the real meat of the story. Thank you so much for your reviews. As always, keep 'em coming. :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: A lot more happens in this chapter than I originally planned. Hope you guys like it, let me know! :)  
**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Sam walked in the door of her apartment carrying several bags of food. Freddie looked up at her from where he was wiping down the coffee table.

"Hi," he said. "How was your day?"

"Long," she answered. "Here," she handed off the paper bags, which Freddie struggled to balance in his arms.

"Where's my baby?" Sam said in her baby voice, making her way to the playpen where Charlie lay and picking her up. "There you are. Did you miss me? Did you miss me?" She nuzzled Charlie's nose and blew a raspberry on her cheek.

"Yeah, Charlie gets all the love," Freddie said, his voice sounding pouty.

"Take those to the kitchen and see what's inside," she told him.

He did so and Sam followed him to the kitchen, still holding Charlie.

"She smells so good. Did you give her a bath?"

"Yeah, a few hours ago."

Freddie pulled out the various food containers in the paper bags and opened them.

"Lasagna!" He looked up at her happily.

"Stole it from the restaurant just for you," Sam said. She used one hand to open another container. "And these are chocolate éclairs I made in my Intro to Pastry class."

Freddie reached for one and she slapped his hand. "Don't spoil your dinner!"

He rubbed his hand. "I didn't think I'd ever see the day that Sam Puckett would be lecturing me on spoiling my dinner. This mom thing is really rubbing off on you."

Sam kissed Charlie's cheek in response. "I guess it is."

Freddie took out plates from the cupboard, putting one in front of Sam. He took out the cutlery and distributed them before taking his place beside her.

"Are you going to put her down or eat one handed?" He looked at her in amusement.

Sam stuck her tongue out at him. "I'll eat one handed, thank you very much," she proceeded to put fried chicken and steak on her plate. She knew the steak would prove to be a problem but the chicken she could eat just fine so she started with that.

Freddie loaded his plate with lasagna and breadsticks. "So I was thinking today that we should start baby proofing the apartment."

"Why?" Sam said over a bite of chicken. "She's not moving on her own yet."

"Yeah, but if we put it off now then she'll be crawling around before we think of getting around to it."

"Okay."

He glanced at her, surprised at how easy that was. "Okay," he took out a piece of paper from his back pocket and checked something off with a pen that was on the counter.

"What is that?"

"Nothing." Freddie tried to shove it back in his pocket but even with a baby in one arm Sam was too quick for him, she snatched it out of his hand.

On the top it was headlined: **Things to Tell Sam**. Underneath was a bulleted list. _Baby proof the apartment; Schedule furniture shopping for Charlie's room; Find a lawyer._

She laughed. "You're such a dork, Fredweird."

"I like to list things so that I don't forget," he mumbled.

"What's this find a lawyer business?"

"I was going to save that for after dinner."

"Well, what is it?"

"I think you need to get legal guardianship of Charlie," he said.

"Melanie left her to me and she isn't coming back. Isn't that enough?"

"You need the legal documents, Sam, otherwise anything could happen."

"Like what?"

"Like what if Melanie has a change of heart and wants Charlie back?"

Sam dropped the drumstick she was eating and looked at Charlie. A week ago, she would have said 'Great, she's her mom, about time she acts like it.' But now…Now it was hard for her to be at work and at school without a part of her counting down the minutes until she could see Charlie again. It was amazing how quickly she had wrapped herself around Sam's heart, how completely she had fallen for this baby. The thought of Melanie taking her away made her feel ill.

She shrugged her shoulders in dismissal. "That's not the way my sister operates. If she hasn't come back by now then she's not coming back. She's like our dad that way."

"That might be the case, but I don't think you should take the risk," Freddie said gently.

She didn't respond, just attempted to cut her steak one handed, which she wasn't having any success with.

"Okay, here's another scenario. Let's fast forward four years and Charlie's in preschool. She hurts herself on the playground, let's say she breaks her ankle, and has to be taken to the hospital. You're her emergency contact but they discover that you're not her mother or her guardian. They can take her away, Sam. They'll put her in the custody of Social Services until they can find Melanie and sort out the custody issues."

Sam looked at him and held Charlie tighter, for the first time allowing fear to show on her face. "No…" She whispered.

Freddie put his hand over hers. "Don't worry. We're not going to let that happen. We just need to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible."

She looked down at her plate. "I have a juvie record, Freddie," she said, voicing her real fear. "What if they don't give me custody?"

"You were a minor and your record has been clean since you turned eighteen. You haven't been arrested or charged with anything, you're in school, you own and manage a legal business. We can get you numerous letters of recommendations that will testify your capability to be a responsible guardian…"

He lifted her chin and made her look him in the eye. "I know you have very little trust in our legal system. But you can trust me, Sam. I won't let anyone take Charlie away from you."

She nodded.

"Okay, I'll talk to Spencer when I get home, find out who the lawyer was that handled his custody papers with Carly."

"If it's someone related to Socko you'll find someone else?"

He smiled. "Definitely."

They went back to eating and Sam was getting increasingly frustrated with her steak. She was about to pick it up and eat it by hand when Freddie took the knife away from her. He cut the steak into little pieces and went back to his lasagna.

"Thanks," she muttered.

"There's actually something else I wanted to run by you."

"It's not on your list?" she teased.

Freddie flushed a little. "Well, it's not about Charlie. It's about Gibby's. Don't you think it's about time you guys got a website?"

"Gibby and I agreed we would put it on the agenda once we started making money. But I guess we haven't gotten around to it. We're doing fine without one," she pointed out.

"You are but imagine how much easier it would be to advertise Gibby's outside of Seattle if you had a website. You can get the attention of critics from national publications instead of just the local ones here."

"And you can set up online ordering," Freddie went on, his eyes shining with excitement. "Most restaurants are doing it these days. I know that you take pride in Gibby's being this old style diner-slash-restaurant but you need to utilize technology in order to be a truly competitive business in this day and age. You can also have an app that will let people order or make reservations on their phones."

"Yeah, but we'll have to hire someone to do all of that."

"What about me?"

"You?"

"I'm a tech guy," he said. "And I have a freelance app and web design business…"

"You do?"

"Sam! I told you about it when I first started it back in freshman year."

"Oh, you know that your tech babble just goes…" She made a whooshing motion over her head. "So you really want to do this? You want to make us a website?"

Freddie looked at her, full of eagerness. "Yeah, I do."

It was a great idea, Sam had to admit. But even if it wasn't, there really wasn't a way that she could say no to that face. Damn it, pseudo-motherhood was making her soft.

"Okay, we'll talk to Gibby."

"Great, I have charts and I've been working on various design options-"

"Hey, Frednerd!" Sam cut in. "Don't oversell it."

"Right. Shutting up now," he said.

Sam stood up, switching Charlie from one arm to the other. She left her empty plate on the counter, knowing that Freddie would take care of it, as was their routine. It was hard to believe they already had a routine after only three days of his becoming Charlie's official baby-sitter, but they did.

"You fed her already, right?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, about half an hour before you got home."

"Then it's time for bed, isn't it?" She cooed, pressing her forehead to Charlie's and kissing her nose.

"Is she sleeping at night yet?" Freddie asked.

"Until about one am then she wakes up and won't go back to sleep until three when I'm lucky and five or six when she's in the mood to make me really miserable."

He looked at her sympathetically and Sam wouldn't tell him this but it really wasn't so bad now that he was helping out. She was able to sleep in now after Charlie fell asleep and not wake up until about an hour before Freddie came over. All of his classes were in the morning (Freddie was a morning person), starting at seven thirty and ending at ten thirty every day. He came over at eleven and Sam would leave to work at the restaurant for a few hours and then she had classes on Mondays to Thursdays from two thirty until five forty-five. Afterwards, she dropped by the restaurant again on the way home to grab the accounting books and dinner for her and Freddie.

When she thought about it, Freddie did tell her only two days ago that he didn't mind staying with Charlie for practically the whole day because he was able to get his work done. She assumed he meant school work but now she knew he was likely talking about his web design stuff.

Sam brought Charlie into her room and changed her diaper before putting her into her onesie. She placed her inside the bassinet and tucked her blanket around her and started rocking it gently. It wasn't long before Charlie's eyes closed and she was breathing evenly. Sam crept away, closing her bedroom door gently behind her.

Freddie had finished with the dishes and was sitting at the counter munching on the éclairs.

"These are delicious, Sam," he said.

"Thanks. It was my first time making them."

"Charlie's asleep?"

"Yeah. It's getting easier to put her down, thank God."

He nodded. "For me too. She doesn't get as fussy anymore."

"Hasn't Spencer been wondering where you are all day?" She asked.

"He has."

"What do you tell him?"

"I change the subject. I don't like lying to him, Sam."

She took an éclair and bit into it.

"You know you're going to have to tell him and Carly."

"I know, alright?"

"Don't you think the longer you keep it from them, the more upset Carly will be?"

"I know that too," she glared at him.

"Spencer told me that Carly's coming home tomorrow. He's making spaghetti tacos for dinner."

Sam groaned. "You're such a nagging wife, you know that?"

Inexplicably to her, Freddie smiled.

* * *

The next day Sam came home early, forgoing her trip to the restaurant because, as Freddie pointed out, they'd be having dinner elsewhere. When she walked in the door, Charlie was already in her stroller, wearing her jacket and hat, and Freddie was packing away his laptop.

"Hey," he smiled at her. "You ready for this?"

Sam sighed. "Not really."

"It'll be fine," he reassured her.

"You think so? With Carly, queen of the freakouts?"

Freddie paused. "When she calms down, then it'll be fine."

"Come on, let's just go and get this over with."

She opened the door again and Freddie pushed the stroller through.

When they got to Bushwell Plaza they were greeted by Lewbert's screeching.

"Aaahhhh…When did you two have a baaaaby?"

Charlie started crying, her poor ears assaulted by Lewbert's voice reaching unpleasant decibels.

Sam glared at him and reached into the stroller to pick up Charlie.

"Stop it!" Freddie said. "You're upsetting Charlie!"

Lewbert climbed over the counter, falling on his hands and knees but clambering up and staggering over to Freddie. Lewbert poked at his chest. "Does your mom know that you're a daddy? I think I'll tell her!"

Freddie shoved his hand away. "She's not our baby, alright? Don't tell my mom anything!"

"What are you going to do to me?" He taunted.

"I'll show you what I'll do to you," Sam handed the baby to Freddie and tackled Lewbert to the ground.

"Sam, don't kill him in front of the baby," Freddie said, his voice getting drowned out in Lewbert's screams and Charlie's crying.

He rubbed Charlie's back and rocked her while Sam pinned Lewbert face first onto the ground. She was sitting on his back and had his arm twisted behind his back, her other hand clenched in his hair, keeping his face pressed to the floor.

"Oww…Let me up!" Lewbert screeched.

"Say you'll keep your stupid gob shut!" Sam yelled.

"Nooo…"

Sam twisted his arm harder.

"Ahhh…I'll keep my stupid gob shut!"

In all of the chaos no one noticed the lobby doors opening behind them and Carly and Ian walking in.

"Freddie?" Carly said. "What's going on here?"

Freddie turned to her, his eyes wide. "Uhh…"

Sam let Lewbert go and he went running and screaming into his office.

She stood up, brushing back her hair. "Hey Carls, Ian," she smiled. "What's up?"

Carly looked from her to Freddie to the crying baby. "What's going on?" She yelled.

"Hold on a moment," Sam told her.

She took Charlie from Freddie and whispered soothingly into her ear, rubbing her back. Her cries gradually grew quieter until it stopped completely.

Carly watched this, her jaw open. She turned to Freddie, clearly wanting an explanation and he just smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Is anyone going to tell me whose baby that is?" She asked.

"Melanie's," Sam said.

"Melanie's?" Carly cried and Sam quickly gestured with one hand for her to keep her voice down.

"Melanie's?" She whispered-yelled.

"How about we talk upstairs?" Freddie cut in. "We'll explain everything, Carls."

Carly sighed. "Fine," she said, taking Ian's hand and following behind Sam and Freddie. Sam still held the baby while Freddie pushed the stroller.

"Hey guys!" Spencer greeted them as they all stepped out of the elevator. "Whoa, whose baby?"

Carly sat down on the couch and crossed her arms. "Okay, explain."

Sam put Charlie back in her stroller and sat down beside Carly. She started the story.

Carly, Spencer, and Ian all looked suitably horrified when she was finished.

"But…" Carly said. "Melanie can't just abandon her baby!"

"Well, she did."

Carly stood up and started pacing. "How are you going to raise a baby? You're Sam Puckett! You barely remember to bathe yourself everyday let alone a baby!"

Sam looked like she'd been slapped.

"Carly!" Freddie barked.

Her head whipped over to him and she seemed to realize what she said. She put her hand over her mouth.

"Sam, I didn't mean-"

Sam stood up. "Yeah, it's nice to know what you really think of me, Carls."

She took Charlie's stroller and pushed it to the elevator, pressing the button. Freddie moved to follow her as the doors opened but she held up a hand and he knew that she wanted to be alone. She stepped in and the doors closed again and she was gone.

Freddie turned to look at Carly who was sitting on the couch with her head in her hands.

"That was out of line, Carly," he told her.

"I know!" She looked up at him miserably. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "It's not me you need to apologize to. And for the record, Sam has been nothing short of amazing with the baby."

Carly's eyes teared up and she ran upstairs. Ian moved to follow her but Spencer put a hand on his arm.

"Just let her be alone for a little while," he said.

Ian nodded and sat back down.

The three guys sat around awkwardly, none of them knowing what to do.

"So Spencer," Freddie said. "I wanted to ask you who the lawyer was that took care of your custody papers with Carly."

"Actually, it was my dad who took care of that. Right before he left on his first long deployment."

"My dad can help you," Ian spoke up. Freddie and Spencer looked at him.

"He's a lawyer. He specializes in divorce and custody cases. I know it doesn't sound like your situation but he does know the ins and outs of legal custody and adoption."

"Do you think he'll agree to see Sam and me?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, absolutely. I'll talk to him."

"Thanks, man."

Spencer jumped up and put his hands together. "So, how about we don't let those spaghetti tacos go to waste?"

Freddie and Ian looked at each other and shrugged, they followed Spencer to the kitchen.

* * *

When a knock came at her door at nearly nine pm, Sam expected it to be Freddie. Instead it was Carly.

"Hi," Carly said timidly. "Can I come in?"

Sam opened the door wider and let her through.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean what I said."

"It's fine," Sam sighed.

"No, it's not. I was way out of line and it wasn't true at all! You've changed so much and become so responsible. Of course you can be a mother, Sam," Carly took her by the arms. "Of course you can. There's no one better that Melanie could have left her baby with. It's just…Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I don't know," Sam said. "I guess I was afraid of how you'd react. And I'm just not sure if I can do this at all…"

"You can, Sam."

"It's just so hard! If Freddie wasn't helping me so much I just…I don't know. I'd be losing my mind."

"And there's that. You and Freddie seem to have this tag team parenting thing going on already. It makes me feel so left out, like I'm the last to know about everything in your life."

Sam rubbed her forehead and sat down on the couch, pulling Carly down beside her.

"And you don't think I feel the same way? You have your own life at U Dub that I don't feel a part of."

A tear fell down Carly's cheek. "I miss you, Sam."

"Don't cry kid," Sam said, wiping her tear away, and then laying her head on her shoulder. "I miss you too."

"Okay, I have an idea. How about every Sunday we call each other and we have to talk for an hour and update each other on our lives. And then once a month, we have a day, a Sam and Carly day where we just spend all day together, like we used to in high school. No boyfriends, no school, no babies. Just the two of us."

Sam looked at her and smiled. "That sounds pretty good."

"Good." Carly hugged her and Sam held on tightly, not realizing until then just how much she had missed her best friend, how it felt like she had been living with a tiny hole inside of her.

"So…" Carly pulled away, wiping away more tears, and Sam discretely dabbed at her own eyes. "What's going on with you and Freddie? Are you back together?"

"What? No…no! Why would you say that?"

"Gee, I don't know," Carly smiled. "Maybe because it looked like you two were playing mommy and daddy."

"It's not like that. He's just helping me out. He's like a baby-sitter except that I don't pay him, how can I not keep him around?"

Carly raised an eyebrow. "This is _Freddie_, Sam. Can you honestly tell me this whole situation isn't stirring up feelings?"

Sam let out a long breath and leaned back on the couch. "The feelings are there," she admitted. "And I think he may want to…Sometimes we get close to…Arggghhh…" She buried her face in a pillow.

"It doesn't matter," she said. "I can't do this again with him, especially now that I have Charlie. He's nineteen! Does he really want to be tied down with a baby that's not even his?"

"Do you?" Carly asked.

"I don't have a choice! She's my niece, my flesh and blood. If I don't take care of her, if I don't raise her, who will? Freddie can walk away at any time. I mean, he's being great about it now but one day, it'll be one dirty diaper too many and he'll realize he doesn't have to deal with this crap."

"This is Freddie we're talking about, Sam. Has he ever been the type to walk away from what he feels is his responsibility?"

"That's even worse! If he just sticks around because he feels responsible for us or obligated."

"I'm sure he doesn't feel that way…"

"Not now maybe, but he will."

"He's not your dad, Sam," Carly said gently.

Sam shook her head. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Ordinarily, Carly would have pushed it, Sam knew. But things were still too fragile between them that pushing the conversation further wasn't worth rocking the boat.

"Her name is Charlie?" Carly asked.

"Yeah. Melanie named her Charlotte Elizabeth but I call her Charlie."

Carly smiled. "Samantha and Charlotte. Sam and Charlie. It's cute."

Sam groaned. "I didn't think of it like that."

"And you guys have the same middle name. Can I see her?"

"She's sleeping so you'll have to be really quiet."

Sam led Carly to her bedroom, where they peeked into Charlie's bassinet.

"She's beautiful," Carly whispered.

"She is," Sam agreed readily. She was the most beautiful baby in the whole world. Not that she was biased or anything.

Carly looked up at her, her eyes shining. "I'm so proud of you, Sam. Charlie's so lucky to have you."

Sam swallowed the lump in her throat and hugged her best friend.

* * *

Freddie watched a mother struggling to quiet her crying baby. The baby was older than Charlie, practically a toddler, his face was red and snot was dripping out of his nose. He looked down at Charlie, lying serenely in her stroller, unbothered by the screaming of the boy five feet away from them.

"You act so well behaved in public just so you look like an angel in comparison," he said, grinning at her. She put her fist up to her mouth, getting saliva all on her fingers.

"Hey Fredward," Sam called from across the store. "Get over here."

Freddie pushed the stroller over to where Sam was looking at cribs. When he got to her, she picked up Charlie and placed her in one of them. Her eyes seemed to take in the bars surrounding her and she started crying. Sam picked her up and she stopped.

"Okay, you don't like that one," she said. "How about a white one?"

She walked to the next crib over and placed Charlie in it. She started crying again.

Freddie watched this in amusement. "Are you really going to make her pick her crib?"

"Why not? She's the one that has to sleep in it."

"We could be here all day!"

Sam looked at him, Charlie in her arms again. "Well, you can leave. Nothing's keeping you here."

"I-" Freddie was bewildered. "That's not what I was saying."

Sam turned her attention to Charlie, taking one of her hands and bringing it to her lips, pretending to bite it.

Freddie sighed. "How about that big one in the corner?" He pointed.

Sam looked over and walked towards it. Freddie followed behind her, feeling confused. It wasn't the first time that Sam had made a comment like that in the past two days. He thought he and Sam had been making good progress in the past week, falling into a routine that more or less suited them. They hadn't talked about the almost kisses but Freddie thought he'd been on his way to breaking through Sam's carefully constructed wall. But now it seemed like Sam had re-cemented the walls overnight, covering all of the cracks and weak spots, rendering Freddie's efforts from before moot. He wished he knew what had brought it on, if he had done or said something that upset her. He would ask her except that he knew Sam Puckett well enough to know that trying to talk about it was the absolute worst thing he could do.

Sam lay Charlie down in the big crib and right on cue, she started crying again. Sam picked her up.

"Okay, that's it. Puckett's do not like being caged."

"She doesn't mind being in her playpen," Freddie pointed out.

"But these are bars. It probably reminds her of being in prison."

"How can it remind her of being in prison? She's a baby, she's never been in prison."

"Well, it reminds me of being in prison," Sam scrunched her nose. "Maybe she's reading my mind."

"You haven't been to prison, you've been to jail. Can we pick a crib already?"

"She doesn't like any of them."

"She doesn't like them or you don't?" He asked

"I don't know, none of these cribs look right."

"They all look pretty much the same," Freddie said.

"Exactly! I don't want her in one of these mass produced, exactly alike cribs."

Freddie looked around the store at the sea of mass produced cribs. "Well, then, we should start looking elsewhere. Is there anything else we need to buy?"

"You have the list," Sam said.

He pulled out the piece of paper from his back pocket and unfolded it.

"Okay, we can get the basic stuff. Pacifiers and some more bottles. I think we should save the new stroller for another time. You know," he said, as he looked at the various items on the list. "It seems unfair that you have to buy all this stuff, most moms get all of this as gifts from friends during her baby shower."

"Yeah, well, I guess the not getting pregnant part excluded me from the free stuff party." Sam put Charlie back in the stroller. "Can we go?"

Freddie gestured for her to go ahead, but the wheels in his head were turning.

They bought what they needed and left the baby store, stopping at a deli five blocks down to eat lunch. They sat down at a table on the sidewalk and several people passing by stopped to coo at Charlie and to tell them what a cute baby she was. He was impressed at Sam's restraint to not yell at them. But he suspected it was partly because deep inside, Sam was proud to show Charlie off.

"What is with people and babies?" Sam asked after an old couple had finished baby talking Charlie and had walked out of ear shot. "Complete strangers think they can just stop and drool all over them."

Freddie chuckled. "I don't know, cute things tend to lower people's inhibitions. Babies, puppies…"

"People should just mind their own business," Sam grumbled, biting into her extra-large, extra-ham sandwich.

A store across the street and one block over caught Freddie's eye. The sign said Rose's Antiques.

"Hey, how about we go over there?" He pointed.

Sam looked. "An antique store?" She scoffed. "What are you, an old lady?"

"You said you don't want mass produced furniture, what better place to find original, well made stuff?"

She shrugged. "Fine, whatever."

They finished their lunch and made their way to the antique store. Walking along the sidewalk with Sam, pushing a stroller with an adorable baby inside and shopping for baby things, this type of thing would terrify most college guys and send them running for the hills. But Freddie couldn't shake the feeling that this was it, this was what his life was supposed to be like. There was no place on earth that he'd rather be than right here with Sam and Charlie. If only he could get Sam to see it too.

The shop was small and filled to the brim with furniture and various knick knacks. But somehow it felt homey, like walking into your grandmother's living room.

The bell over the door rang as they walked in and an old lady looked up from behind the counter. She was tall and broad but her face was kind, her gray hair falling around her shoulder in soft waves. She smiled with her eyes, as Freddie's mom would say.

"Hello there," she said. "Welcome to Rose's Antiques, can I help you with anything or would you just like to browse?"

"You wouldn't happen to have any baby cribs, would you?" Freddie asked.

"Shopping for the little one, I see," she smiled, leaning over the counter to peer into the stroller. "We have a few near the back of the store. They're well made from the finest oak wood and sturdy. They'll last you for generations."

"Thank you," Sam said and walked towards the back of the store.

The lady came around the counter. "She's an adorable little thing," she said, looking down at Charlie. "What's her name?"

"Charlotte but we call her Charlie."

"You and your wife make a fine couple," she said, patting his arm. "Let me know if you need any help."

"We-we're not," Freddie stuttered even as the lady turned away. "Thank you," he said instead and she turned around and smiled at him.

He pushed Charlie's stroller to the back of the store, a stupid grin plastered on his face.

He found Sam standing beside a crib, her hands clenched at the top of the frame, looking absolutely mesmerized. And it was a beautiful crib. It was made of a dark cherry oak with a rosewood finish and it had small and delicate rose engravings on the headboard.

"Give me her," Sam said, barely looking at him.

Freddie picked the baby up and handed her over. Sam lay her down gently in the mattress of the crib.

Charlie's eyes roved around and he held his breath, waiting for her cry. But it didn't come. She just lay there, gurgling happily, drool spilling down her lips and onto her chin.

"She likes it!" Sam rejoiced.

She turned to him, her eyes bright with happiness. "I told you she would know what she likes!"

He grinned. "She knows what you like. She reads your mind, remember?"

"Yeah yeah, how much is this thing?" She picked up the price tag near Charlie's head and her face fell.

"What is it? How much?" He went over to her and looked over her shoulder. It was eight hundred dollars. That was way over her budget, he knew.

Sam dropped the tag and picked Charlie up.

"How about we talk to that lady?" Freddie suggested. "Maybe we can talk her down on the price."

"Unless you can talk her down to three hundred, Fredward, I can't afford it."

She turned and gasped, quickly handing the baby to him. She walked over to a dresser that matched the crib perfectly. Sam ran her hand over the top of it and opened the top drawer.

"I can see the room," she said softly as Freddie came up behind her. "We could paint the walls a really light purple, the crib would go by the wall…" She picked up the price tag to the dresser. It was four hundred.

"Well, we can always try Okeo," she said and Freddie hated the resignation in her voice.

He looked at the crib, the idea that had started forming in his mind at the baby store taking an even clearer shape.

"Sam, Charlie's turning a month old, isn't she?" He asked.

"Yeah, in three days according to the birth certificate Melanie so kindly left me. Why?"

"Uh, nothing. I thought we'd get her a cake."

"Julie will want to make it. She's weirdly obsessive about cakes."

Freddie remembered the gag cake that Julie had made for Sam's nineteenth birthday. It was shaped to look like a certain part of a man's anatomy. He flushed in embarrassment just thinking about it. Sam read it on his face and burst out laughing.

"You have got to get over that, Freddie."

He remembered the knife that Sam had put through the cake, cutting it into strategic pieces, and shuddered. There was not one guy present at the party whose balls did not crawl up their body in protest and horror. Julie was an artist and that was a very lifelike looking cake.

"You alright? You're looking pale." Sam was still laughing at him.

He scowled at her. "Let's just get out of here."

Sam stopped laughing and took one last long look at the crib. "Yeah, let's."

* * *

Freddie had a plan but he had very little time in which to execute it, and that meant he was going to need all of the help that he could get.

Carly walked through the door of her apartment and Freddie looked up from where he was making various lists on several pads of paper on the coffee table.

"What is it, Freddie?" She asked. "What did you need to talk to me about that's so urgent?"

"What would you say if I told you that I need you to help me plan a party in three days?"

"I'd say you're insane and it can't be done."

"What would you say if I said that it's for Sam's baby shower and Charlie's one month birthday?"

She looked at him, her lips pursed in a way he knew meant that a million ideas and plans were running at rapid speed through her head. "I'd say, Freddie Benson, that you called the right girl."

He grinned widely and she sat down beside him, barely glancing at his list before starting her own.

Sam was going to get the surprise of her life.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Freddie had a little over twenty four hours until the party and panic was starting to set in. He knew that Sam was starting to suspect something and he could skirt around her and make excuses as long as she didn't start asking any direct questions. Freddie was a notoriously bad liar, especially to Sam.

With one last kiss to Charlie, Sam was out the door and on her way to work.

Freddie took out his cell phone and typed in a quick text: _She's gone. Five minutes_.

He took Charlie to Sam's room and got her dressed, then he got her stroller ready for her. He had just rolled her out to the living room when the knock on the door came, right on cue. Freddie opened it.

"Remember, you have until exactly five o' clock," he said to Spencer, standing on the other side. "I want everyone cleared out of here before Sam gets home."

"Gotcha boss," Spencer saluted.

Freddie stood aside as Spencer yelled "Forward Ho!" and he and a big crew of people, largely the same crew that had rebuilt Carly's room after the fire, walked by carrying paint tins, a ladder, and other equipment. When the last person had disappeared inside Charlie's room, he pushed her stroller out, leaving Spencer and his people to it. He had his own job to do.

* * *

"Vanilla milkshake and a corn dog," Sam said as she set down the food in front of Mr. Obermeyer. He was a kind middle aged man who lived on the fourth floor of Bushwell and had become a regular at Gibby's, coming in almost every day at the end of the lunch rush to sneak in a snack that his wife disapproved of since Mr. O had some weight problems.

"Thank you, Sam," he smiled.

"You know, when you're in the mood to be really daring, you should try the chocolate milkshake. I'll even throw in some extra whipped cream on top for you."

"Oh…" He laughed nervously, his eyes shifting guiltily. "Maybe tomorrow," he whispered.

"Atta boy," Sam winked.

She took out a rag and started wiping down the other end of the now empty counter. It was nearing one-thirty and the lunch crowd was clearing out, beginning the slow lull between two and four when only a handful of customers trickled in. Normally Sam welcomed this time of day where she could breathe and relax for a bit before she left for school. But today she had welcomed the distraction of the lunch rush just so she didn't have to keep thinking about how weird Freddie had been acting lately.

He was hiding something from her, she could feel it. First he had left abruptly when they got home from crib shopping on Sunday. They were going to watch an MMA match after they had put Charlie to bed but he said he had a headache and bailed. Sam might not have thought anything about it but the next day Freddie had arrived half an hour late to watch Charlie. Sam had begun to panic when fifteen minutes past eleven had gone by and she couldn't contact Freddie. She was about to call the restaurant to let them know she wasn't coming in and then call Mrs. Benson to see if that chip in his head still worked, when Freddie had shown up, out of breath and apologetic. Sam didn't have time to interrogate him and when she got home later that night he'd made an excuse about Spencer needing him and left right away.

Sam knew it was happening now. What she'd been expecting, and fearing, all along. Freddie was realizing that taking care of a baby was too much to deal with. Any day now he'll just bail on them completely. Maybe he'll make an excuse about how he had to focus on school and on work. It saddened her, more than she thought it would since she was expecting it all along. This was going to be it, the final nail on the Sam and Freddie saga. As much as she lo-cared about him, if Freddie couldn't accept Charlie as a permanent fixture in his life, then Sam couldn't be with him. She and Charlie came as a packaged deal now. Maybe it wasn't fair to ask a nineteen year old guy to pretty much be a dad to a baby that wasn't his but Sam didn't ask for this either. She'd just have to permanently bury that deep seated spark of hope she always had that she and Freddie would find their way back to each other. She'd have to erase him from her heart completely. Sam's hand clenched tightly around the rag that was now just circling the same spot on the counter over and over.

"I think that spot is as clean as it's going to get."

Sam looked up to see a customer, someone she'd never seen before, smiling at her.

"Unless you're planning to forgo plates and start serving food right here on the table," he continued.

"What can I get for you?" Sam asked, not really in the mood to banter with this dude. Although she had to admit he wasn't bad to look at. He was tall and lean, with light brown hair that stood up in short spikes. He had a bit of preppy look about him, wearing the same type of button down polo that Freddie usually wears, and black framed glasses. She'd put him in his early to mid-twenties.

"What's good here?" He asked, picking up a menu.

"Everything's good here."

"That is the word on the street. Bit of an eccentric menu you have. Tater tots on the appetizers, lasagna on the specials…Burgers, BLT made with Bolivian bacon…" He put the menu down and looked up at her. "Tell me, how did you choose the type of food you would serve?"

Sam shrugged. "I serve the food that my friends and I like to eat."

"It's also an interesting set up you have here, kind of a cross between an old fashioned diner and a restaurant."

"We have more of a diner atmosphere during the day and restaurant atmosphere at night," Sam explained. "The idea was that this could be a sort of hang out for kids during the day but also a place you can have a date at."

The guy's lips quirked up. "That's pretty cool. Was it your idea?"

"Yep. But really, dude, you need to order."

"I'll have the spaghetti tacos and red pepper lemonade. I hear those are original house specials."

"You heard right," Sam said as she wrote down the order.

"Spaghetti tacos…That originated on iCarly, right?"

Sam handed the order slip to Martin, who was passing behind her, and really looked at the guy. The hair on the back of her neck was prickling. This wasn't just a random customer who happened in here, this dude had an agenda.

"My best friend's brother invented it and we brought it on iCarly. Who are you?"

He laughed. "I'm sorry, I'm being so rude. My name is Garrett Anderson." He held out his hand and Sam warily shook it.

"No need to introduce yourself, I know you're the famous Sam Puckett."

"Some people might say infamous."

He grinned. He had really white teeth, Sam couldn't help noticing.

"I have to confess something," he motioned for her to lean in and she did. "I've eaten here before," he whispered.

Sam rolled her eyes and straightened up.

"Your food is delicious and I've been a bit of a fan since iCarly."

"You're not some creepy stalker dude, are you? Because I will put you in the hospital."

"No, not a stalker. Just a fan."

Martin came back with the food and Sam took it from him, setting it down in front of Garrett.

"Well, enjoy your meal," she said, preparing to leave him to it. She needed to be heading to school now.

"Actually, there's something that I wanted to propose to you."

"Propose?" Sam sighed. "You didn't recently try the BLT, did you?"

"No," he chuckled. " I don't mean that kind of proposal."

"Good. You wouldn't believe how many marriage proposals I've gotten just because of that Bolivian bacon."

"I'd believe it. But I wanted to ask you if you've ever thought of franchising?"

"Franchising?"

"Setting up branches of Gibby's in other places."

"I know what franchising is!"

"Okay, sorry. If you want to do it, I'm the man to help you," he said cockily.

Sam had heard enough from this guy. "I'm not interested."

"Wait, wait!" He took out a large envelope from a briefcase on the stool next to him. "Before you reject the idea out of hand, read this. It'll give you more information on who I am, the company I represent, and what I envision for Gibby's. This can be big, Sam. Really big."

"I'm happy with how Gibby's is now," she said. "I don't buy into that bigger is better philosophy. It was invented by hopelessly insecure men."

"That may be so. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't at least take a look at this. There's a lot of profit to be made in franchising."

"Of course there is, it's selling out!"

"It's making a name for yourself," he countered. "But wait. That seems to be the one thing you're afraid of."

Sam glared at him. Who did this guy think he is? If her patience ran thin, his face would be meeting her left fist.

"I'm not afraid of anything," she growled.

"iCarly? And now Gibby's? Why not call the restaurant Sam's? As I understand it, you're the heart, soul, and brains behind this joint. A lot of fans would say you were the soul behind iCarly as well. And yet you put your friends front and center, giving them the name and the limelight. Why are you so afraid to step out on your own, Sam? To make your name known, the first thing people hear and recognize?"

"Get out," she said through gritted teeth.

He smiled and it made Sam's blood boil. "I've struck a nerve."

"Listen buddy, I'm this close to punching you in the face repeatedly and pouring that red pepper lemonade over your open wounds. You seem to think you know me. If you do then you know this isn't an empty threat. The only thing stopping me right now is the lawsuit you could slap on me, so you better get out of here before I just stop caring."

He nodded but he didn't look scared at all and Sam clenched her hands very tightly together in front of her. Garrett took out his wallet and put a twenty on the counter beside his untouched food and stood up.

"It was nice to finally meet you, Sam," he smiled and walked away before she could say anything else.

Sam put her hands on the counter and breathed and out, fighting the anger boiling in her veins. He had left the envelope on the counter and the spaghetti tacos were untouched.

She took one of the tacos and bit into it. No sense in letting good food go to waste.

* * *

Freddie had just stepped off the elevator onto the eighth floor of Bushwell and was pushing Charlie's stroller down the hall to Spencer's apartment where he was meeting Carly to go over the last minute preparations for the party, when he ran into the last person he wanted to see at the moment. His mother.

Marissa looked at him, looked at the stroller in front of him, went around to look inside of it. And then fainted.

"Mom! Mom!" Freddie said as her body made a big thud on the floor. He kneeled beside her and shook her shoulders. "Mom, wake up!"

She opened her eyes, looking dazed. She caught sight of the stroller again.

"Fredward Benson! Tell me you did not have a child with that-that delinquent girl!"

Freddie sighed and helped his mom up. "She's not a delinquent anymore, Mom. You know that. And no, that's not mine and Sam's baby. Not biologically anyway."

Marissa didn't seem to hear him. "I knew it!" She wailed. "I knew something like this would happen if you moved out!"

Freddie looked at Carly's door and reluctantly opened the door to his mom's apartment. He pushed Charlie's stroller through the doorway while simultaneously pulling on his mom's arm.

"Explain this Fredward," Marissa demanded once she had closed the door behind her.

Freddie looked down at Charlie, sleeping soundly in her stroller. He tucked her blanket tightly around her and stroked her hair. He still couldn't get over how beautiful she was, and how much she reminded him of Sam. His mom cleared her throat and he looked up at her, remembering that he was in pretty hot water at the moment.

"I'll explain everything, Mom, but you need to keep your voice down so that we don't wake Charlie."

"Who is that baby?" She cried.

"She's Melanie's baby. Melanie is Sam's twin sister."

Marissa rolled her eyes. "Oh give me a break, Freddie! Sam doesn't have a twin!"

"Yes, she does."

"Then how come I've never seen this twin?"

"She's been in boarding school since the fourth grade and she hardly ever comes home to visit. Look, I know how it sounds, okay? I didn't believe it either when Sam first told me back in high school but Melanie is real and she had a baby with her boyfriend who abandoned her when he found out she was pregnant. She brought the baby here and left her with Sam to raise because she can't do it herself."

Marissa sat down on the couch. "And what about you? Where do you come into this?"

Freddie sat down beside her. "I've been helping Sam. I stay with Charlie after my classes so that Sam can work and go to school."

"I always knew that girl was trouble," Marissa said, rubbing her forehead. "I always knew she'd lead you astray."

"Mom, none of this is Sam's fault!" Freddie argued. "She didn't ask for a baby. She's stepping up and taking responsibility for her family. I thought you, of all people, would respect that."

"I do. I commend her for it. I just don't know why you have to be dragged into this. A baby, Fredward? Do you even know how much responsibility this is?"

"Considering that I've been feeding her, bathing her, and changing her diapers for the last week? Yeah, I think I do."

"You are nineteen, Freddie. You are not ready for this. Raising a baby is work, it's expensive, and it's a lifetime commitment," Marissa explained, desperation coating her voice. "I'm glad that Sam is taking responsibility for her niece but that means that she is essentially a single mother-"

"She's not," Freddie interrupted.

"What?"

"Sam's not a single mother," he said. "She has me."

"Freddie…"

"I mean it, mom. I love Sam and I've honestly fallen in love with Charlie." He looked towards the stroller. "I can't imagine my life without them. I know you think I'm too young to make this kind of commitment but it's not even a choice. It's just…it's Sam. I want to be with her, and if being with her means that we have to raise a baby then I'll love Charlie like she's my own. I already love her like she's my own."

Marissa studied her son, the determination in his voice, the softness in his eyes when he talked about Sam and Charlie. Whenever she looked at her son, she couldn't help but see the tiny toddler that he once was, his hair sticking up wildly despite her constant efforts to tame it, the way he wouldn't let go of his little toy laptop that she had bought for him. That was her Freddie, the image that she clung to. But now she couldn't deny that sitting before her was a man. He was no longer her little boy, he was a man who was ready to start a family of his own.

The baby started crying and Freddie immediately picked her up, cradling her to his chest and whispering soothingly to her until she quieted down. Marissa watched this and felt immensely proud. She had raised this man, after all. But a part of her couldn't help but be terrified.

"Come home, Freddie," she said desperately.

He looked up at her and smiled. "Not a chance, mom."

"Well I had to try," she sighed.

* * *

Sam was exhausted. She was so distracted that she completely botched the cream puffs she was supposed to make in her pastry class and she had to stay after class to fix them and salvage her grade for that project. Although for the life of her she couldn't figure out how her dough got so runny, she was sure she had measured everything correctly the first time.

She hadn't stopped by the restaurant so she didn't have dinner but she figured that Freddie would just skip out on her again (for the fourth night in a row, not that she was counting) and she could reheat last night's leftovers. Really, she just wanted to cuddle with Charlie and go to sleep. This had not been a good week and she was only halfway through it.

She opened the door to her apartment to find that it was completely pitch black. Her heart dropped, where were Freddie and Charlie? Before the panic could set in, the lights switched on and Sam found herself completely surrounded by her friends.

"Surprise!" They yelled.

Carly came running over and hugged her.

"What's all this?" Sam asked.

"It's your baby shower! And Charlie's one month birthday!"

Sam looked around, searching for Charlie. Because of her distraction at work and with Freddie, and the busyness of school, she'd completely forgotten that Charlie was one month old today. She felt so bad, how could she forget?

Freddie came over, holding Charlie, who was wearing a sky blue dress with a matching butterfly clip in her hair.

"Surprise," he said, grinning at her.

"You did this?"

"With a lot of help from Carly, yeah."

"So this is what you've been doing? Planning this?"

He looked sheepish. "Yeah."

She took Charlie from him, cuddling her and pressing her nose to her cheek.

"Happy one month, baby," she said. "You've gotten so big." And she has. She already felt twice as heavy as the first time Sam held her that night that Melanie left.

Sam didn't notice that she was crying until she felt the wetness on Charlie's cheek. She looked up to see Freddie watching her, concern etched across his face.

"Hey," he said gently, taking her arm and leading her to her bedroom. "What's wrong? Don't you like the surprise?"

She wiped the pesky tears away with one hand. "I do! It's great. It's just…" She looked down at Charlie, her beautiful, precious baby who was getting bigger every day. "I forgot. I forgot that it's her one month birthday today."

"Sam, that's not your fault. You've been busy and I know my acting weird these past couple of days hasn't helped. To be honest, I was hoping you would be distracted enough that you'd forget."

"But what kind of person forgets this sort of thing? What kind of…" She looked at Charlie. "What kind of mom?"

"Sam…"

"My mom always forgot my birthday. The one time she remembered was the year that she took us bowling in the parking lot of El Taco Guapo. And that was only because Melanie called and demanded that mom give her permission to go to the Hamptons for her birthday."

"Sam," Freddie stepped in front of her and took her by the arms. "You are nothing like your mom, trust me."

The door opened and Carly popped her head in. "Freddie! Why are you hogging Sam and Charlie? Get out here guys, we've got cake and presents."

Sam and Freddie followed her out to the kitchen where there was an adorable purple cake in the shape of a bunny sitting on the counter. It said 'Happy One Month, Charlie' on the bunny's stomach. Julie stood over the cake, grinning at her.

Sam narrowed her eyes. "I thought you were sick."

"Sorry for missing work today, boss. I was commissioned to do something else."

"It looks amazing, Jules."

"It's a masterpiece!" Spencer said, looking down at the cake in awe. "Can we eat it? I wanna eat that little bunny head…"

"Not yet!" Carly pushed her brother away from the cake. "Not until we get pictures."

She held up her professional digital camera that she'd started playing around with after she'd taken a photography class in the second semester of her freshman year. Freddie had left her side but was now back with a small video camera in his hands.

Sam looked around the apartment, taking in the decorations, the big pile of presents in the living room, and pretty much all of her friends from work gathered around the small space.

Gibby came ambling over and pressed a kiss to Charlie's head. "Hope you don't mind we closed the restaurant a little early today," he said. "Everyone wanted to be here."

"I don't mind. But what if I had stopped by there before coming home? I would have seen that it was closed."

"Ah," he smiled mysteriously. "We took care of that."

Sam's skin prickled. "What did you do?"

Gibby's smile dropped and he held up his hands. "It was Freddie's idea, I swear!"

"What was it, Gibby?"

"He may have bribed one of your classmates into sabotaging your project today so that you'd have to stay late in class."

Sam looked over at Freddie where he was filming people with his little, but no doubt very high def, camera. Annoyance and pride warred within her. On the one hand, he could have made her fail that project. On the other hand, she was impressed and a little bit proud at the deviousness of the plan and how he had managed to pull this whole thing off right under her nose.

"Come on, Sam!" Carly said, pulling her around the counter. "I want a picture of you and Charlie with the cake."

Sam tilted her arms up a little so that Carly could get a clear shot of the baby's face and happily posed with her. Freddie stood beside Carly and filmed the whole thing. She took a tiny bit of frosting from the cake and put it on Charlie's nose and then licked it off, all while Carly's camera clicked away.

"Go over there and join them," Carly said to Freddie and pushed him. "I want pictures of the three of you."

Freddie obediently went around the counter and stood beside her.

"Oh you guys are so cute!" Carly cried.

"Carls…" Sam warned.

Freddie put an arm around her. "Come on, let her have her fun," he said into her ear.

Sam flushed as she felt his warm breath in her ear, the heat of his body pressing into her side, the comforting weight of his arm around her shoulders.

Eventually, the picture mania ended and they cut the cake, to Spencer's sinister delight. They then gathered in the living room where Sam opened the presents. Freddie had been right about baby showers, it seemed that everything she needed for Charlie was taken care of in the presents. She almost wished they had thought to do this sooner.

After the presents, the party started winding down with people leaving one by one until it was just Freddie, Carly, Spencer, and Gibby left. It almost felt like high school again, with the five of them just hanging out and talking, until Sam looked down at Charlie sleeping beside her in her new baby seat.

"I still can't believe you guys have a baby," Spencer said.

"We don't _have_ a baby," Sam corrected, looking at Freddie out of the corner of her eye. "We're taking care of a baby."

"Good thing you don't live with your mom anymore, Freddie," Spencer told him. "I hardly see you around at the apartment and I was getting worried, imagine how much she would have freaked out."

"My mom actually knows about Charlie now," Freddie said.

Everyone looked at him in surprise. "I ran into her in the hallway at Bushwell and I had Charlie with me. I kind of had to explain everything."

"Man, I would have paid to see the look on her face when she saw you with a baby," Sam said.

"She fainted."

Sam laughed.

"How's the apartment hunting going, Freddie?" Carly asked.

"Not so well," he grimaced. "It's hard to find a place in my price range and close to this area. If only there was an apartment open here or in Bushwell but every unit is taken."

"You could always wait for Old Man Donnelly to croak," Sam said, referring to the eighty-seven year old man that lived two floors below her. He was bedridden and had a nursing aid taking care of him twenty four-seven. The doctors had given him three months to live, that was back when Sam had moved in to the building more than a year ago. There were bets going on around the building about how long it would be until the poor guy bit the dust. Sam had her money on two more years.

"Sure, that'll happen sometime soon," Freddie said sarcastically.

"Why don't you move in with Sam?" Gibby asked. "You practically live here anyway, don't you?"

Freddie looked at her and laughed nervously. Spencer and Carly both laughed.

"The potato has a point," Sam conceded. Freddie looked at her, shocked. "Too bad there's no room for you, Fredwich. Charlie already claimed the spare bedroom."

"Speaking of Charlie's room, I think it's time for your last surprise of the night," Freddie said.

Sam looked around at the eager and knowing faces of her friends, wondering what more they could possibly surprise her with.

"Come on." he stood up and held out his hand to her. Sam took it and he pulled her up from the floor. To her surprise, he didn't let go and simply tugged her in the direction of the bedrooms.

"Carly, bring the baby," Freddie said over his shoulder.

He took her to the door of Charlie's room, opened it and turned on the light. Sam's breath caught in her throat.

The crib from the antique store was there in the corner of the room, exactly where she imagined it would be. Across from it was the matching dresser and beside the window was a rocking chair that Sam didn't remember seeing but matched the crib perfectly. The walls were painted a very light purple with flowered designs stenciled in. It was all so gorgeous and exactly what she had pictured that day in the antique store.

She turned to Freddie, her eyes bright.

"Do you like it?" He asked nervously.

She threw her arms around him, hugging him tight.

"Hey!" Spencer said. "I helped too!"

Sam pulled away and smiled at him.

"He did," Freddie confirmed. "He painted."

"Yeah!" Spencer pumped his arm.

Sam leaned in close to Freddie. "He didn't put together the crib, did he?" She asked, her voice low.

"No, he didn't touch any of the furniture. I made sure."

She breathed in relief. Spencer's unusual talent for setting random things on fire usually amused her but she didn't want to take any chances when it came to Charlie.

Carly held the baby in her arms and Sam carefully took her, making sure not to wake her, and placed her inside the crib. The mattress already had a fresh purple sheet on it and was lined with stuffed animals. Freddie came up beside her and unfolded the purple blanket and tucked it around Charlie.

"She looks perfect in there," she whispered.

"She does," Freddie agreed.

"I can't believe you did this. How did you even afford it?"

"I do have a job, Sam. Consider it my present to both you and Charlie."

"But…" She shook her head. "Thank you," she said, leaning her head on her shoulder.

"Um, guys," Carly said gently. Sam turned around, surprised that there wasn't anybody else in the room now. "We're gonna go."

Sam walked over and hugged her. "Thank you, Carls."

They walked to the front door arm in arm, where Gibby and Spencer were waiting, and Sam hugged and thanked each of them in turn.

"You coming, Freddie?" Spencer asked.

"Uh yeah," he said, looking at Sam. "See you tomorrow."

"Are you going to start staying for dinner again?"

He smiled. "Definitely."

He leaned in and Sam thought for a moment that he was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes, her heart beating impossibly fast in her chest. She expected to feel his lips on hers, but felt them press against her forehead instead. She opened her eyes, trying not to show her disappointment.

"Good night, Sam," he murmured.

"Night," she whispered back.

She closed the door behind him and pressed her forehead to the door.

Apparently she couldn't have been more wrong about Freddie's reason for acting so strangely these past few days. Instead of pulling away, he was planning this wonderful surprise for her and Charlie. Sam had to stand there for several minutes, reminding herself of all the reasons that she shouldn't be with Freddie. Because, really, her willpower was getting weaker and weaker.

* * *

**A/N: Hi! I wanted to thank you all for continuing to read and review. I can't believe this story has over 50 reviews already. School is about to get pretty crazy for the next two weeks as I head into finals and the final homestretch of this semester, so updates might not happen so frequently. I am devoted to this story, however, and have exciting plans for the next couple of chapters, so I don't want you to worry that I won't be seeing this through.**

**Also, I wanted to give a special thanks to the Cabal for welcoming me into their group of wonderful writers. It's truly an honor, I can only hope I live up to it. :)  
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	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Charlie was crying and she wouldn't stop. Sam was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

She had woken up to Charlie crying a little after three am and thought that she needed a feeding or a diaper change. She did both of those things and hadn't put Charlie down in her crib for more than a minute when she started crying again. Sam rocked her in the rocking chair, sang to her, tried every technique that had been working for the past three weeks but still she wouldn't stop. She tried putting Charlie back in her bassinet, thinking that maybe after a few days of sleeping in her crib she had started to miss it. Hours passed and nothing Sam did worked, Charlie just kept on crying, and she was reaching her wit's end.

It was nearing nine am, which meant that Charlie had been crying for nearly six hours non-stop. It was worse even than in Sam's first week with her. At least then she could at least get Charlie to sleep for a couple of hours before she woke up and started crying again. This couldn't be healthy. Sam started to panic, thinking that maybe she was sick or that something hurt and crying was the only way she could let Sam know this.

She put Charlie down in her playpen and frantically dialed on her phone. Freddie's phone went to voicemail and she knew he was in class but this was an emergency. She kept calling until he finally picked up.

"Sam? What is it?"

"You have to get over here, Freddie," she said.

"Why? What's wrong? Is that Charlie crying?"

"Yes. And she won't stop." Her voice wavered and tears prickled in her own eyes. "I think she's sick or hurt and I don't know what to do!"

"Okay, okay. Sam, listen to me. I want you to take Charlie to the emergency room at Seattle General. My mom's at work, I'll call her and tell her to wait for you. I'm leaving right now, okay? I'll meet you there."

"Okay," she breathed.

Sam was worried out of her mind but glad to at least have a plan of action. She got Charlie dressed and ready and it was only when she had pushed her stroller out to the living room that she realized she was still wearing sweatpants and an oversized shirt. She quickly got herself dressed and she was out the door.

True to Freddie's word, Marissa was standing near the door of the emergency room when Sam walked in. Marissa picked up the crying infant and winced at the volume of Charlie's screams.

"How long has she been crying?" Marissa asked.

"Since about three this morning and she hasn't stopped. Is she sick? Do you think something hurts? Maybe it's her stomach, she didn't eat very much this morning, not even half her bottle. And I couldn't tell if she burped because she was just crying and crying…" Sam wringed out her hands, the worry and panic she was feeling was putting her on emotional overload.

Marissa put the baby down and took Sam's hands. "Sam…Samantha! Look at me," she said. "You have to calm down."

Sam thought about the irony in Marissa Benson, possibly the highest strung person in Seattle, telling her to calm down.

"Charlie will be just fine. It's perfectly normal for infants to cry a lot."

Sam looked her in the eye. "Was Freddie like this? What did you do?"

"Freddie wasn't particularly fussy, he was such a calm baby…"

"What would you have done if he was like this then?"

Marissa sighed. "I would have had a nervous breakdown," she admitted. "You're right. The on-call pediatrician today is Dr. Evans. She owes me a favor, I'll see if she can squeeze you in right away."

She led Sam to the seats and left her for a moment to talk to the person at the desk. She came back with a clipboard.

"I just need you to fill out these forms and I'll be right back."

"Thank you, Marissa," Sam said.

She nodded and squeezed her hand. "It'll be alright, dear."

Marissa hadn't been gone five minutes when Freddie arrived, looking disheveled and worried. He spotted them right away thanks to Charlie's crying and he picked her up.

"How long?" He asked, sitting beside Sam.

"Since about three this morning."

"And she hasn't stopped?"

Sam shook her head.

"Where's my mom?" He looked around. "Wasn't she here?"

"She was. She went to talk to the doctor, to ask if she can see us right away. I have to fill out these forms." Sam looked down and realized her hand was shaking. Freddie noticed it too.

"Here, take her," he said, handing Charlie over. "I'll do that."

Sam leaned into him and lowered her voice, though this wasn't really necessary since no one would be able to hear them over Charlie's cries. "Do you think they'll find out she's not mine?"

Freddie looked at her. "It'll be okay, Sam."

"I wish you and your mom would stop saying that. You can't know that!"

Charlie started crying louder when Sam raised her voice and she took a deep breath, calming herself down, and rubbing Charlie's back, trying to soothe her.

"Should I just say that she's mine?"

"No, I think it's better to be honest. They won't try to take her away. You're here, you're her caregiver. And my mom will run interference. God…" Freddie closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "I should have scheduled that meeting with Ian's dad already. I'm so sorry, Sam."

Marissa came back then, appearing out of a door and headed straight towards them.

"I talked to Dr. Evans, she'll be able to see you. I just need the paperwork," she said.

Freddie quickly finished it while Sam dictated her information and Marissa took it with her as she once again disappeared through the doors.

Sam stood up to rock and jiggle Charlie, which seemed to be the only thing to calm her somewhat. When she tired, Freddie switched with her.

"Sorry I pulled you out of class," Sam said as she watched Freddie sway back and forth.

"Are you kidding me? I'm glad you called."

"Ugh, I haven't called the restaurant."

"Call them now," Freddie said. "I've got her."

"What if your mom comes back for us?"

"I doubt she'll be back anytime soon but if she does, we'll wait for you."

Sam stood up reluctantly. "Alright."

She stepped outside of the ER and managed to get ahold of Julie on her cell. She filled her in on what was going on and Julie assured her that she would hold down the fort at the restaurant and that she would call Gibby if she needed any help. Sam hung up the phone and leaned against the wall for a moment. She felt guilty for even thinking it, but she was grateful to finally get away from the incessant crying. Her eardrums had been taking a beating for nearly eight hours straight and she just needed a break. A small break, was that too much to ask? But then Sam thought about Charlie and whatever that was causing the crying might really be hurting her and she couldn't stay away any longer. She slammed back through the doors and walked straight to Freddie, taking Charlie from him and tucking her into her chest.

Freddie stayed near, his hand on Charlie's head.

"Do you think she's in a lot of pain?" Sam asked, her voice small, unable to keep the fear out of it.

Freddie wrapped his arms around both her and Charlie, being careful to leave some space between them for the baby to breathe and move. "I don't know," he said honestly. "She'll be alright though."

Charlie seemed to like her position between them, her cries stopping for the first time in hours. Sam's eyes widened as she looked down at Charlie, her little baby face still pinched and unhappy but mercifully quiet.

"Don't move," she muttered.

He adjusted his position a little so he could hold her tighter. "Wouldn't dream of it," he said into her hair in a voice so low that Sam wondered if she was meant to hear it.

She didn't know how long they stood there, Sam's heart was beating so fast in her chest that she wondered that it didn't bother Charlie.

It wasn't until they heard a throat clear and they turned to see Marissa that Freddie stepped away. Charlie started crying again.

"Dr. Evans will see you now," Marissa told them. "Come with me."

They followed her through a door and into a corridor, Freddie pushing the stroller while Sam held Charlie, rubbing her back and whispering to her, trying to get her to calm down again.

Marissa stopped to talk to another nurse passing by and then ushered them into an exam room.

"I need to take Charlie to get her weighed and check her vitals," Marissa said, moving to take her from Sam, who just held her closer.

"Where? Can't I go with you?"

"It's just down the hall and it'll only be a few minutes," Marissa assured her.

"It's alright, Sam," Freddie said, rubbing her shoulder.

Sam looked down at her little red faced, miserable baby and reluctantly handed her over, kissing her forehead as she did so. Charlie started crying louder as she left Sam's arms but it didn't deter Marissa. Sam watched them leave the room, not moving even as Charlie's cries grew fainter as they moved farther down the hall. Freddie came over and put an arm around her, steering her towards a chair.

"I'm scared, Freddie," she whispered. He kneeled down next to her, taking her shaking hands in his.

"Me too," he said.

Sam hated hospitals and she hated doctors. Not being a person who got sick very often combined with her mother's lack of medical insurance meant that she never really went to the hospital or saw a doctor when she was a kid. The last memory she had of being in a hospital because of her own injury was when she had twisted and sprained her wrist after falling out of a tree, that was back in the second grade and when Melanie was still around. She had been in a lot of pain and scared out of her mind, even though she had tried to put on a brave front. But now, being here for Charlie, Sam would break every single bone in her body if it meant that Charlie would be alright and Sam could take her place as the patient. She didn't even care to put on a brave front now, her baby could be sick and she was absolutely terrified.

"So this is what parenthood is like?" Sam asked. "Not being able to sleep, constant exhaustion, and this nagging worry that never goes away?"

"I guess so," Freddie shrugged helplessly.

"It sucks," she said petulantly.

They could hear Charlie's cries again, getting louder and louder and Sam stood up to meet Marissa in the doorway, taking the baby from her immediately and Charlie calmed somewhat, whimpering into Sam's chest.

Marissa sat down on Sam's vacated chair, looking relieved to be freed from Charlie. Sam jiggled her around until she looked so exhausted that Freddie just had to take the baby from her. This time Charlie didn't protest the switch, settling in Freddie's arms as he took over the jiggling.

Sam turned to see Marissa watching them carefully, the blank poker face making her feel more nervous than any overt showing of emotion from the older woman. She wanted to say something, maybe thank her again for helping them but the door opened and the doctor walked in.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Evans," she said, smiling pleasantly at them despite Charlie's crying. She was petite with shoulder length blonde hair, and a friendly, open face.

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Rachel," Marissa said.

"Oh, it's no problem, Marissa. This must be…" She looked down at her chart. "Charlotte?"

"Charlie," Sam corrected, taking her from Freddie.

"This is my son, Freddie," Marissa introduced. "He is _not_ the father."

"Mom," Freddie cut in, irritation in his voice.

"And that's Sam," she continued like she hadn't heard him. "She's the baby's aunt and guardian."

"Alright, why don't you just lay Charlie down here," she moved to the exam table and Sam laid Charlie down, her cries getting louder as she left Sam's embrace and got put onto the rough paper lining the exam bed.

Sam carefully held her squirming body down as the doctor put a small stethoscope on her chest and listened to her heartbeat and then proceeded to examine her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Charlie didn't like it at all, screaming her little head off as both Sam and Freddie stood by, trying to calm her.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Sam asked, picking Charlie up as soon as the doctor was done and began writing on her chart.

"How long has she been crying?" Dr. Evans asked.

"Since three this morning but she's never cried for so long."

"It could be nothing more than colic," she said.

"Could be? You're not sure?"

Dr. Evans smiled placatingly. "It's hard to tell after just less than a day but I can tell you, Sam, that Charlie looks perfectly healthy. Her ear and throat passageways check out fine, she has no fever, therefore we can rule out an ear infection. Colic affects a lot of newborns and most of the time, it's nothing serious."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Sam asked.

"Just keep doing what you're doing," she nodded at Sam's rocking and swaying, which had calmed Charlie's screams into little whimpers. "Colicky babies tend to respond well to rocking and close parental affection. What type of formula do you use?"

"Infagro," Freddie answered.

"Has Charlie ever been breastfed?"

"I don't know," Sam said. "Knowing Melanie, probably not."

"Sometimes colic is caused by the baby having some gastric problems. Have you ever had problems feeding or burping her?"

"No."

"No squirming or crying that indicates a rejection of her bottle?"

"No," Sam and Freddie said at the same time.

"Okay, then we won't alter her formula or feeding schedule in any way." Dr. Evans sat down at her table and Sam sat in the chair across from her, Charlie in her arms, while Freddie stood behind her, a hand on her shoulder.

Marissa still sat in her own chair, feeling increasingly not needed but unable to leave. As much as she hated to think it, Charlie was practically her grandchild. She didn't want to believe it the first time she had found out about the baby but now, watching Freddie…his panic when he called her, his attention and devotion to both Charlie and Sam since he got to the hospital…All of it had confirmed what she thought and feared.

"Do you think she's in any pain, doc?" Sam asked, looking down worriedly at Charlie.

"No, I don't think so," Dr. Evans assured her.

"But she's crying so much…"

"This could be nothing, some babies have bouts of colic that lasts for days or even weeks without any real cause. Right now you can just continue to rock and soothe her, feed and burp her regularly and keep a watch for any gastric problems or fussiness during feeding time. I'll also prescribe some probiotics-"

"Wait," Freddie interrupted. "Isn't that bacteria?"

Sam frowned and held Charlie closer.

"It's good bacteria, it won't harm her."

"Why are you giving her medicine if you're saying nothing's wrong?" Sam demanded.

"Well, it's been known to reduce crying in colicky infants."

"That's it? So it's like if I said she's not sleeping, you'll just give her some sleeping pills and knock her out? I don't care about the crying, I care about WHY she's crying!"

"Sam," Marissa cut in. "Dr. Evans is just doing her job-"

"No, it's alright, Marissa. I get this a lot. Sam, I know you're worried, I wish there was something I could say or do to ease your fears but the only answer here is time and careful observation. This bout of crying could pass in a matter of days or it could last weeks. I'm going to need both of you," she indicated both Sam and Freddie. "To be very observant and attentive to Charlie's cries and reactions, see if there's any indication that she's feeling pain or discomfort, particularly after a feeding or a bowel movement. If you see anything or if the crying persists for more than a week, come back and we'll figure out how to proceed from there."

Freddie rubbed Sam's shoulder soothingly. He kneeled down next to her.

"Hey, it's okay," he said in a low voice. "At least she's saying that there's nothing wrong with Charlie."

Sam looked at Charlie, who had finally fallen asleep, her cheek pressed against Sam's chest.

"I'll still give you the prescription," Dr. Evans said. "But if you'd like, you don't have to use it until after five days or more has gone by and the crying persists."

Freddie nodded, taking the prescription from her. "Thanks, doctor."

"Sam, do you know if Charlie has had all of her vaccinations?"

Sam looked up, startled. "Shots?"

"Yes, at her age they are necessary."

"I don't know. Melanie never said…"

"It says in her file that she was born at New Jersey General?"

"Yeah, that's what it says on her birth certificate."

"Alright, I'll give them a call and have them fax Charlie's file. I just need you to sign a waiver to allow it," she passed over a paper which Sam signed. "I'll find out what vaccinations she's had and if she still needs anything, I'll give you a call."

Dr. Evans stood up and Marissa stood with her.

"Thank you again, Rachel," she said, shaking her hand and walking her to the door.

"No problem. Keep me updated, will you, Marissa?"

"I will," she smiled and turned back to Sam and Freddie when the doctor had left.

"See, nothing to worry about," she said brightly.

Sam scowled at her. "Don't tell me not to worry about my baby."

Freddie stood up, looking ready to mediate a fight between Sam and his mother but Marissa simply smiled.

"I know. A mother never stops worrying. It's part of the job, Sam."

Sam's brow furrowed at being called a mother. But she looked down at Charlie, sleeping, her face pressed against her chest and her little hand gripping the front of Sam's shirt. There really was no denying it, she may not have given birth to Charlie but she certainly felt like her mom. This little baby was her entire world and she'd do anything to keep her happy, safe, and healthy.

* * *

After they had taken her home, Charlie had a long sleep where it seemed she gathered up all of her lung strength and unleashed it on Sam and Freddie at maximum capacity. She spent the next five days crying nearly nonstop. The only time she did stop was when she tired and fell asleep but the crying began anew when she woke up.

Sam and Freddie both had to stay home, taking turns to rock and jiggle her, which soothed her enough to quiet her cries though not stop it completely. Neither of them had left the apartment, both unable to part from Charlie and also when she was awake, Charlie seemed to sense when one of them wasn't in the same room as her and started crying more urgently. Freddie couldn't even go home, he'd started sleeping on the couch. After one night Sam had taken pity on him and showed him that the couch turned into a pull-out bed.

Sam wondered at what her life had become as she prepared Charlie's bottle for a one am feeding. For the first time in six days they had managed to get her to sleep before eight pm and both Sam and Freddie had passed out in their beds. But then they'd been awoken at nearly one by Charlie's relentless crying, which they both recognized as her hungry cry, and now Freddie had her in the living room while Sam heated the milk. It was still hard to believe that at nineteen she was already doing the parenting thing. It wasn't exactly what she ever pictured her life would be.

She tested the milk on her arm and walked out to the living room, handing the bottle to Freddie. He laid Charlie down on the bed beside him and gave her the bottle, lying down and propping his head on one hand while he held the bottle up with the other. Sam lay down on the other side of Charlie, yawning tiredly.

"You can go back to bed, Sam," Freddie said. "I'll put her down after she's done eating."

"Too tired to move," Sam groaned, pressing her face into Freddie's pillow, which smelled like his shampoo. "Just wanna stay right here."

He chuckled and handed over his blanket, which Sam happily snuggled under. She watched through sleepy eyes as Freddie repositioned himself and stroked Charlie's hair while she sucked her bottle. He was looking down at her adoringly, in a way that Sam hadn't seen him look at anyone before, not even her. Strangely enough, it didn't make her jealous. It warmed her heart that Freddie could love Charlie so much, made her feel things that she didn't want to think about too hard.

"Maybe we should find a bigger apartment," she said through a yawn.

Freddie looked up at her. "What?"

"You practically live here already, Charlie won't let you go anywhere, and it's gonna suck to not have your own room. If we split the rent, we could probably afford a three bedroom place, right?"

"Sam, are you asking me to move in with you?"

She flushed as she realized that was exactly what she was asking.

"Don't be a girl, Fredweird. It's just for Charlie," she mumbled.

He raised an eyebrow. "For Charlie?"

"Nevermind. It was a dumb idea."

"No," he said quickly. "We should talk about this."

"Nah, I don't wanna move. I like this apartment."

"Sam."

"Forget it," she shoved the blanket off herself and moved to get up, jostling the bed as she did so.

"Sam-" Freddie started but Charlie released her bottle and started crying. Freddie cursed as droplets of milk splattered onto Charlie's chest.

"Don't curse in front of the baby," Sam scolded as she lay back down and rubbed Charlie's stomach soothingly.

She calmed down and Freddie was able to put the bottle back in her mouth.

He looked at her and Sam pointedly stared at her hand, rubbing circles on Charlie's tummy.

"I think I did see some ads with apartment units that have three or four bedrooms. I never bothered to inquire because they're too big for just me. But we can look at them."

Charlie closed her eyes and her breathing evened out, the bottle slipping from her lips.

Sam raised her eyes. "Yeah?"

Freddie placed his hand over hers. "Yeah."

She snuggled under the blanket, Freddie only a foot away from her and Charlie in between them. It was like they were a real family. They felt like a real family and as Sam's heavy lids drooped to a close, she could feel very acutely the warm weight of Freddie's hand on top of hers and Charlie's little tummy moving up and down beneath them.

Maybe her life wasn't turning out how she ever expected or dreamed that it would, but right at that moment, Sam wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.

* * *

**A/N: My finals start on Monday and this is how I procrastinate. :/ Charlie's colic was actually only supposed to be the first part of chapter 6 but then this turned out to be really long and I felt it deserved a chapter of its own. This means that the story will be one chapter longer than my outline but I can deal with that. Thank you all for your continued support, all your kind and encouraging words, the faves and alerts. This story is turning into a wild ride and I'm glad to have you guys on board. :D**

**I have a twitter account: heartlines12. Follow me if you like. :)  
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	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Freddie stretched out his arms and rubbed his eyes, feeling them start to blur after staring at his laptop screen for too long. He looked over at Charlie, who was lying in her playpen while he worked. She was so quiet and well behaved now, it was hard to believe that she was the same baby whose crying and screaming had put him and Sam through hell a week ago.

After eight days of constant crying, Sam had broken down and told Freddie to buy the probiotics the doctor had prescribed. He had gone out and bought the medicine and while he was at the drug store, a brown stuffed bear with soft fur caught Freddie's eye. On a whim, he bought it for Charlie. It was a little big for her still but he figured that she would grow into it. When he got home he placed the bear beside Charlie in her playpen. She stopped crying and looked at it curiously.

Sam had been utterly relieved to get a break from the crying. She looked at Charlie and then at Freddie. "Don't tell me that all this time all she needed was a freakin' bear?" She exclaimed.

It wasn't. Charlie eventually resumed her crying fit and they had to give her the medicine. It did help and she began crying less over the next few days, though Sam still refused to leave her. It took another week for the crying fits to stop and for Charlie to go back to a normal sleeping pattern. After another visit to Dr. Evans to make sure everything really was okay and to get Charlie a vaccination that she needed, Sam and Freddie finally went back to their normal schedules.

Charlie had developed a fondness for her bear though. She couldn't hold it or cuddle it yet but she liked having him beside her in her crib and playpen at all times. Freddie's chest couldn't help but swell with love as he watched Charlie. It still surprised him, the depth of love that he could feel for this little baby. He sometimes thought about what she'd be like, a year from now, five years from now, or fifteen years from now. She'll be gorgeous, just like Sam. He'd have to get a baseball bat to chase the boys away. On the other hand, Sam could be intimidating and scary enough for the two of them. All he'd have to do is keep their fridge well stocked with butter.

Freddie couldn't help but chuckle at his thoughts. He was probably getting too far ahead of himself. He turned back to his laptop and was just getting back to work when a knock came at the door. He got up and answered it.

"Hi!" Carly smiled up at him.

"Hey Carls," he said, stepping aside to let her in.

"Is Sam home yet?"

"No, but she should be soon."

Carly dropped a few bags on the couch and walked straight over to Charlie. "Hello…hello there," she cooed, bending over to pick her up.

"So, what brings you over?" Freddie asked.

"I just brought something for Sam and I wanted to check on Charlie here," she kissed Charlie's cheek. "The colic is gone?"

"Yeah. She's perfectly healthy, the doctor says. So I guess 'say hi to Freddie' is nowhere on that list, huh?" He joked. "Sam and Charlie get all the visitors, I'm just the invisible baby minder."

"Oh shush you," Carly sat down with the baby on her lap. "Maybe if you didn't keep moving all the time, people would know where to find you. Spencer said you moved out? Did you find an apartment?"

"Uh…Sort of." He scratched the back of his neck and sat down beside her.

Carly looked around and her eyes took in the suitcases and bags stacked against the wall beside the TV and the pillows and blanket on the love seat.

"You've moved in with Sam?" She asked disbelievingly.

"Well, I sleep here in the living room."

Carly shook her head. "Freddie, why don't you just tell Sam how you feel?"

He leaned back against the couch and put his arm over his eyes. "It's not that simple."

"Really? Because you're living together, you're raising a child together, so silly me for thinking the next step might just be actually getting together. Seems pretty simple to me."

"You know how Sam is! Sometimes I think we're getting pretty close to…But then she puts a wall up and I have to back off before she closes herself off completely."

"She's just scared," Carly said. "Now that she has Charlie she's afraid that you'll bolt when you realize you don't want to raise a kid that's not yours."

Freddie looked at her. "She said that?"

"Well, no, not that way. But I know Sam. Her mind is operating on the assumption that you're going to leave eventually. She's just keeping herself prepared for it, trying not to let you get too close."

"That's crazy! I love her…I'm in love with her. How could I ever leave her? Or Charlie?"

"Her dad left, Melanie left, her mom might as well have left. It's all she knows, Freddie."

"Then what am I supposed to do? How can I convince her that I'm not going to leave?"

Carly rubbed one of Charlie's hands, pressing her lips to her head. "Just keep doing what you're doing, I guess. Whether Sam realizes it or not, she's depending on you a lot. She's letting you be Charlie's father, practically. And if she can keep trusting you with Charlie, maybe she'll figure out that she can also trust you with her heart."

Freddie took Charlie's other hand and gazed at her tenderly. "She feels like my daughter, is that crazy? Every day I keep thinking of her more and more as my baby. I can't wait to see her grow up, to see what she grows into, but I'm also terrified. Sometimes I want her to stay this small forever. And you know, even if Sam's not in love with me, even if she decides one day that she wants me out of her life, I don't think I could ever leave Charlie."

He brought her hand up to his lips, kissing her little fingers. When he looked up Carly was smiling at him.

"I think you should tell Sam that," she said.

Before he could say anything, the door opened and Sam walked in, bags in her arms. Freddie got up and took them from her and she caught sight of Carly.

"Carls!" She grinned. "Hey! I didn't know you were coming over."

"I came by to give you something and to see Charlie," she kissed the top of Charlie's head and held up one of her hands, making her wave to Sam.

"I'll just go put this in the kitchen," Freddie said.

"Set the table too," Sam called out as he retreated. "You're going to have to share your food."

She sat down beside Carly and took Charlie. "My baby…" She cooed, giving her an Eskimo kiss.

"It's like she gets bigger every time I see her," Carly said.

"I know. Who knew babies grew so fast?" Sam asked, cuddling Charlie to her chest.

"That's why I thought you should have a way to preserve the memories," Carly said, reaching into a canvas bag beside her and taking out a large purple album. She set it on her lap so that Sam could see the cover, which had a picture of Charlie on it and underneath, written in glittery letters was 'Charlie's Baby Book'.

Carly opened it to the first page, which was blank. "Normally, the ultrasound pictures and hospital bracelet would go here but since you don't have that, I thought you could paste a copy of Charlie's birth certificate here."

She turned the page to two more blank pages. "I didn't know if you had any early pictures of Charlie that you might want to put here so I left this blank too."

Sam pressed her cheek to the baby's head as she leaned in to look at the book. She thought of the pictures she took on her phone when she came home after Freddie's first time baby-sitting Charlie. "Yeah, I have some," she said softly.

Carly smiled. "Good. Now we get to the actual pictures." She turned the page and at the top was written 'Charlie's First Month'. Pictures from the party decorated the next few pages and Sam's heart stopped when they got to the page that was filled with pictures of Sam, Freddie, and Charlie that they took with the cake. They looked like a real family. Anyone looking at these pictures that didn't know them would think they were looking at a mom, dad, and baby, albeit a really young mom and dad. Sam felt an ache inside of her, a desperate wish for it to be real and she pressed her nose into Charlie's hair.

"I thought that we could keep putting pictures of Charlie in here as she grows up," Carly said.

"It's great, Carls," Sam said honestly. "Thank you."

"Come on and eat you guys," Freddie called from the kitchen.

"Can you bring Charlie's carrier?" Sam asked Carly, pointing to where it was sitting on the love seat.

Carly picked it up by the handle and followed Sam to the kitchen, where Freddie had set the breakfast nook table that he and Sam hardly used themselves. The table was round and the seat curved around it, just like some of the booths at Gibby's. Freddie took the carrier from Carly and placed it in the apex of the u-curve of the booth, right between himself and Sam. Carly sat on the other side of Sam at the edge of the booth and Charlie was placed inside of her carrier.

Sam played with Charlie, tickling her tummy, making faces at her, while Freddie loaded her plate with two steaks and a baked potato. Carly watched them, it was obvious that this was a ritual for them and she couldn't help but smile at how cute they were. She and Freddie split a container of carbonara and had a breadstick each.

Freddie asked about her classes and about Ian and Carly caught them up on what was going on with her but half her mind was on observing Sam. She had seen Sam with Charlie before but not for an extended period of time when Carly could really see what she was like in 'mom mode' and it was a sight to behold. Sam, who would once have devoured the two steaks in five minutes flat, now took periodic breaks from eating to coo at and play with Charlie. Every time Charlie so much as gargled, she immediately had Sam's full attention. Carly was sure that if the baby was big enough and able to eat solid food, Sam would be feeding her off of her plate. Sam, who never shared her food. But Carly was pretty sure that Sam would chop off her own body parts for Charlie at this point.

She and Freddie had both finished their food before Sam finished one steak. Freddie got up and came back with a platter of cookies and Charlie's bottle. Sam took the bottle from him and fed Charlie while he took her plate with one steak on it and the half eaten baked potato. Carly's eyes widened and she shook her head at him frantically, knowing how Sam got about her food.

"It's okay," he said, smiling reassuringly at her. "I'm just going to set it aside and she'll eat it after she puts Charlie to bed."

Carly took a cookie and watched Sam as she fed Charlie, bent over the carrier and stroking her hair while murmuring softly to her. It really hit her then. Sam Puckett, reformed juvenile delinquent, meat lover extraordinaire, former web show host, current small business owner, her best friend in the whole world, was a _mom_.

Wonders never ceased.

* * *

Sam was buried in paperwork, it was one of her least favorite things about her job but such a necessary part of it. The orders for supplies had to be made, after all, and pay checks had to be signed. But it meant that she was stuck at the desk in her office for pretty much her whole day at work. After signing the last piece of paper in her stack, Sam threw her pen down and stretched her arms over head. She had just decided to visit the kitchen for a few minutes when her door, which was half ajar, was pushed open and Abby came in carrying a picnic basket.

"Hey, Sam, this was delivered for you," she said, placing the basket on her desk.

"From who?" Sam asked, even though she already had an idea.

Abby shrugged. "It was a delivery service."

"Thanks, Abby," Sam said distractedly and the girl nodded and left.

She opened the basket and took out the items one by one. Several packages of Bolivian bacon, an entire ham, and underneath were colorful brochures that had preliminary designs of what the branches of Gibby's would look like. Yep, it was a bribery package courtesy of Garrett Anderson.

Sam sighed and sat down again, taking the envelope she had found at the bottom of the basket and pulling out a card. In Garrett's neat script was printed:

_Sam,_

_I know we didn't get off to a great start but I do hope you've read the paperwork I gave you. I know you probably think I'm an arrogant jerk but to be honest, I'm a bit intimidated by you. I just wanted to make a strong impression and now I think it was too strong. Please, just give me another chance? I'd really like to explain the details of this to you in person._

_Give me a call, anytime._

_Yours truly,_

_Garret_

She rolled her eyes and tossed the card onto her desk. The truth was, she had read the papers Garrett left behind. And on paper, it all sounded pretty amazing. Instead of just managing this one restaurant, Sam would be a consultant to Garrett's company and oversee all of the branches. Gibby's would be taken care of, the company would bring in private and corporate sponsors and put its stocks on the market. She'd have an insane salary for doing much less work than she does now and she'd get to travel to visit the other branches. It was an opportunity that Sam's classmates at Culinary school were only dreaming about at the moment.

But it was selling out. Sam wasn't naïve, she knew what Gibby's would become with time if it became a money making franchise success; another overpriced, uniform establishment with terrible food and employees that hated their life. Two months ago she wouldn't have even considered it. Two months ago she would have ripped up the papers and wouldn't have given franchising or Garrett Anderson another thought. Two months ago she didn't have Charlie.

Charlie was a game changer in Sam's life in so many ways. And one of the biggest was the financial aspect. She had been doing fairly well in that department since graduating high school but babies are expensive. There were the daily expenses of diapers, formula, and clothes and it wouldn't be long until Sam would have to be thinking about putting Charlie through school and even saving for college. She was determined that Charlie would want for nothing, that everyday she'd wake up with the certainty that she'd always have a roof over her head, food on the table, electricity, and hot water. All the things that Sam couldn't afford to take for granted when she was young because she was never sure if she'd wake up and still have it. She'd rather see Charlie grow up like Carly, innocent and wondrous but still able to stand up for herself, rather than like herself, hardened and jaded outside and constantly afraid on the inside.

Charlie would have everything that she didn't and if franchising was going to give Sam the ability to provide more for her then she had to least consider it. She picked up Garrett Anderson's card and dialed the number.

* * *

"Okay," Freddie said, walking into the kitchen with Charlie on his shoulder. "She is all burped and ready for bed. Say goodnight, Charlie. Goodnight…" He murmured, bringing her close to Sam.

She brushed back Charlie's hair and kissed her cheek, whispering goodnight to her as her eyes sleepily closed. She watched as Freddie walked down the hall and into Charlie's bedroom before turning her attention back to the task at hand, which was cutting up pieces of beef.

She tried not to think about her phone conversation with Garrett Anderson and that she had a meeting with him in two days. If she did then she started to feel guilty about selling out her restaurant and she tried to convince herself that she hadn't made a decision yet. Just because she was willing to hear Garrett out didn't mean that she was going to do it. She had to explore her options, after all.

"Hey," Freddie said from behind her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Fredward," she answered, picking up the knife and resuming her cutting. "Why?"

"I don't know, you've just seemed distracted since you got home. Something on your mind?"

"Nope," she said, popping the 'p'.

He stood beside her. "What are you making?"

"Just trying out this recipe for Mongolian Beef."

He raised an eyebrow. "Adding Chinese food to Gibby's menu?"

"No, Fredweird. I just feel like making something, alright?"

"Alright," he said slowly, looking at her. "Can I help?"

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, grab the other big knife and a chopping board."

"Those words coming out of your mouth would have sent me running and cowering under my bed when I was thirteen," Freddie quipped as he took out those items and positioned himself beside her at the counter.

"You really want to talk about how much of a wuss you were back then, Benson?"

He laughed. "I guess not."

"I mean, not much has changed…"

"Hey!"

She stuck her tongue out at him and he grabbed a large piece of beef, laying it out on his board.

"So how do I do this, Chef Sam?"

"You cut it. I think even you can manage that."

He started cutting and Sam watched.

"And apparently not," she said. "Not like that! You'll ruin the meat."

"How can I ruin the meat?" He exclaimed.

"You're going to make it all tough and chewy. I'm not making beef jerky here."

Sam put down her own knife and moved closer to him. She flipped his meat over. "See this?" She pointed to the lines embedded in the beef. "You have to cut against the grain, that will make the meat tender."

Freddie tried it again and it was better but still not what she wanted. "No no," she put her hand over his and positioned it in the right way. "Cut it diagonally, like this."

She guided him in cutting the meat, only realizing after a few minutes how close they were. Sam looked up over her shoulder to see Freddie watching her instead of their hands, his face so close to hers. She suddenly became aware of her hand on his, their arms pressed together, electricity shooting out from all the points of contact, making Sam feel tingly all over. His face was only inches away, she looked into his eyes and felt like she could drown in those chocolate depths. Then they closed, and he was moving closer.

Sam jumped, moving back and away from him. Freddie's eyes opened.

"I-I…don't think we should…" She stammered.

"Oh," Freddie said, hurt in his eyes.

"It's not a good idea, Freddie."

"Why not?" He challenged.

She closed her eyes, pushing her knife and chopping board away from her.

"Why isn't it a good idea, Sam?" Freddie asked again.

He moved closer to her and when Sam opened her eyes, she realized he had her trapped between him and the counter behind her, his arms on either side of her. He was close, dangerously close, the faint smell of his cologne mixed with baby powder and the scent that was uniquely Freddie was making her dizzy.

She struggled to come up with an answer to his question. She struggled to even remember his question. She couldn't think with him this close.

Sam turned her head, trying to clear it, and caught sight of Charlie's pacifier in the sink. It was just one of the many things in this apartment that gave away the fact that Sam's life was anything but normal. And no matter how much she tried, Sam would never be normal. And she was starting to be okay with that. If she was normal then she wouldn't have a restaurant because only a crazy person would have tried to open a business at her age. If she was normal then she wouldn't have Charlie because it's crazy for a nineteen year old to raise a baby that's not even hers. She wouldn't trade the life she had now for anything. But Freddie? One day he's going to want a real family, with a wife and a baby that's really his.

"We-I…I can't, Freddie," she said.

"Why not?" He pressed.

"We've already done this and it didn't work…"

"We were young then and we made mistakes." He cupped her face. "My biggest mistake was letting you go and not fighting for us."

Sam fought back the lump in her throat. She'd been waiting so long to hear him say that. She forced herself to pull away, to get some space from him.

"Things have changed, Freddie. I have Charlie and I can't risk ruining what we have now. You know what we're like. The fighting, the arguing…what if we break up again and we can't be around each other anymore? Charlie's already so attached to you. I don't want her to lose you."

"Sam, I'm not going anywhere, ever. I love Charlie so much. More than I thought possible. I couldn't possibly leave her. Or you. What can I do to make you believe that?"

"I don't know," she told him honestly. "I'm just not ready yet."

Freddie moved closer and took her hands in his. "Then I'll wait until you are. I've got time. I l-"

She put a finger to his lips, cutting him off. "Don't say it, please," she begged. If he said it, she wouldn't have the strength to turn him away. She barely had that strength now.

Sam moved forward and hugged him. Because he's wonderful and everything she'd been dreaming about for far too long now. And she wished she could believe him. Her heart wanted to but her mind was telling her that she wouldn't survive losing him. So she held on tight, it was the best she could do at the moment.

* * *

Sam blinked back tears as she sliced onions, her eyes stinging. She knew that she didn't have to do this, she'd had three of the chef assistants offer to take her place, but she liked worked with her hands and having the distraction of doing a simple, manual task in the kitchen. It cleared her mind and helped her think, something she desperately needed after her conversation with Freddie a few days ago.

Things had gone back to normal between them, their routine was still in place, and Freddie was as loving and attentive with Charlie as ever. But Sam felt like she'd climbed down another rung of hell. It was getting more and more difficult to be around him, knowing how he felt and what he wanted from her. She wanted to give in, to just fall into his arms and kiss him. Every night she watched him fold out his sofa bed and was tempted to drag him back into her own bed. Her body burned with desire, her heart yearned with love, but as always her brain held her back.

There was once a time when Sam plunged on headlong into things without thinking through the consequences. She'd been an adrenaline junkie since she was young, always wanting to go faster on her bike, climb higher on trees, shoplift just because she could. She relied on her emotions and gut feeling more than her brain. But since carrying Gibby's on her shoulders and being responsible for thousands of dollars of investment and for the employment of fifty six people, Sam had changed. She couldn't just think of herself anymore, she had people relying on her. People who went to school or had families to support. And now she had Charlie as well, a little helpless being who was also relying on her. The days when Sam could simply throw caution to the wind and do what she wanted to, when she wanted to were well and truly over now.

"Sam."

She looked up to see Diane, one of the waitresses, standing next to her.

"Your mom is here," she said. "I took her to your office."

Sam sighed. She'd forgotten it was that time of the month. "Thanks Diane," she said, putting her knife down.

She made her way out of the kitchen and to her office, not particularly looking forward to this but needing to get it over with.

"Mom," she greeted curtly, walking into her office to see her mother sprawled out on the chair next to her desk.

"Hiya Sammy, who is that waiter out there with the fine ass? Wanna hook me up?"

Sam rolled her eyes and sat down behind her desk. Pam Puckett never changed. She opened her top drawer, took out a fat envelope, and slid it across the desk.

"What you came for," she said. "Don't harass my employees on your way out."

Pam took the envelope and pulled out the money, not bothering to count it before rolling it up and stuffing it into her bra. Sam thought she'd leave then but she just sat there, chewing her gum.

"So I heard Melly had a kid," Pam finally said.

"You're not seeing her."

"Who said I wanted to see the rugrat? I just find it funny is all, if I had to place bets on which one of my girls would get knocked up early, my money would have been on you, kid."

"Yeah, I know. Everyone in Seattle would have bet on me. And look, you all would have lost."

"But you still wind up with the kid," she taunted. "Yep, Melly always was the smart one."

Sam glared at her. "You got your money, mom. Now get out."

Pam ignored her, simply leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs. "So who takes care of the baby when you're off being career woman here? Carly?"

"Carly's at school," she said flatly.

"Don't tell me it's that boytoy of yours?" She grinned widely. "The one with the camera? The one you didn't want to admit you were mooning over? You got the poor sucker playing daddy now?"

"It's none of your business."

Pam laughed hollowly. "Oh Sammy, let me give you a piece of advice…"

"When did I ever listen to anything you have to say?"

She wagged her finger. "This time I know what I'm talking about. Men are all the same."

"Yeah, thanks mom, that's really wise."

"Let me finish! Men run out, that's what they do. Look at your dad, look at the babydaddy that knocked Mel up. They all ran."

"You're wrong, mom. Not all guys are like that."

"Maybe not," Pam allowed. "But we Pucketts tend to choose the runners. And from what I remember, that boy of yours is a smart one, he has a future ahead of him. You really think he's going to want to be your nanny forever?"

Sam gripped the edge of her desk tightly. How was it that her mom could be involved in her life in the smallest amount possible and yet still know her fears exactly?

"And you know I love both you and your sister but let's be real here, if Melanie couldn't get a guy to stick around, what chance do you have?"

Sam kept her face blank, trying not to show how her mother's words affected her even as they stabbed her through the heart.

"But you know what? You did a good thing, Sam, taking the baby. It was a nice thing to do for your sister even if you just ruined your own life. So good luck with that."

"Gee, mom, that means so much," Sam said, venom dripping out of her voice.

Pam winked at her and stood up. "Say hi to my granddaughter for me." She turned around at the door. "God, my granddaughter," she shuddered. "Makes me sound old. Eh, no one needs to know about her."

She walked out the door, not bothering to close it behind her. Pam Puckett, always the charmer. Over Sam's dead body would that woman ever be allowed to be involved in Charlie's life. Sam stood up and got back to work, trying not to think about what her mom said about Freddie. But the words nagged at her, twisting and tying itself in ugly knots around the fears and insecurities that were lurking in the back of Sam's mind.

* * *

**A/N: I am really really really sorry for the long wait! It's been a crazy past couple of weeks, what with finals, graduation, my parents coming to visit from the Philippines, plus my whole family being here for Memorial Day weekend. Not to mention this was a particularly difficult chapter for me to write, a lot of serious conversations that needed to take place. I'm still pretty busy because my parents will be here for a month and I have an exam at my new school coming up on Saturday. But I'll keep writing when I can.  
**

**In the meantime, follow me on Twitter! heartlines12 :D Also, read the stories of these fantastic authors...  
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	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hi all! Sorry this took so long. It was a bit difficult to write. On the upside, it's the longest chapter yet! Thank you guys for getting me over 100 reviews. I hope you enjoy this one and let me know what you think. :D**

**Chapter Eight**

Freddie's palms were sweating. He didn't know why he was so nervous, he'd been working on this website for two weeks. It was great, possibly his best work yet, and that was saying something considering how pleased all of his clients have been with his work since he started his web design business a year ago.

But this wasn't for just another client, this was for Sam. He wanted to impress her, he wanted her to love this website, he wanted her to realize what she'd been missing by not having him design this website for her sooner, he wanted her to fall into his arms in awe of his web design skills. Okay, that last one was a long shot.

Freddie fell back onto Sam's desk chair and rubbed his eyes. He had set up the laptop and projector, fiddled with everything until it was perfect, now he was just waiting on Sam, Gibby, and Julie.

The door opened and Sam walked in, her hair up in a bun the way it always was when she worked in the kitchen, her face and neck a little red from the heat of the stove, no make-up whatsoever on her face. Freddie was struck, like he was a million times every day, by how gorgeous she was. You'd think he'd be used to it now that he lived with her, but she just took his breath away every moment of every day. When she's just waking up, when she's getting ready for bed, when she's shoveling food into her mouth, when she's just gotten out of the shower…And he needed to stop that line of thinking.

Sam looked behind her, out into the hallway, and Gibby appeared, Julie following closely behind him.

"Yo Freddie," he said.

"Hey, Gib," Freddie smiled.

"Get out of my chair, Fredbag," Sam said.

He stood up, smoothing down his tie and Sam outrightly laughed.

"What are you wearing?" She asked.

Freddie looked down at himself. He was wearing a nice pair of jeans, a dark blue button down shirt and a blue striped tie, topped with a black blazer. It was his usual attire for these types of meetings.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Other than you look like a nub?" Sam teased.

Freddie frowned.

"It's just a little formal," Gibby chimed in, smiling.

"This is how I dress for business meetings," he defended.

"Just…lose the tie," Sam said, walking over to him and pulling at the tie. He struggled against her and the knot at his throat tightened.

"Ow, Sam, you're choking me!" He tried to push her hands away but she just batted him away.

"Hold still then! Stop squirming."

She pulled harder and the knot loosened. Freddie breathed in relief and Sam was able to get it loose enough to pull the tie over his head.

"Wait, watch the hair!" He protested at the tie got stuck around his forehead.

"Don't worry, Fredward, I won't mess up your precious hair." Sam stood on her toes and tugged and finally the tie came free. Freddie put his hands up to his hair, trying to fix the damage done by Sam's hands.

"Okay, you're the one messing up your hair now," Sam said. She slapped his hands away and proceeded to fix his hair herself. Freddie was about to protest when his brain registered the feel of her small hands against his scalp and running through his hair. She was standing on her toes again to reach his head and standing so close to him that he could feel her warm breath on his brow and smell the strange mix of food, smoke, and perspiration on her skin. It was a surprisingly pleasant scent, though he suspected it was just because it was Sam.

"Um, guys?" Gibby said timidly.

"Guys!" He yelled when he got no response. Sam moved away, her hands dropping to her side.

"Are they always like this?" Julie asked him quietly, though not quietly enough.

"You have no idea," Gibby sighed. He turned back to them, "can we start the meeting now?"

"Just one more sec, Gib," Sam said and turning back to Freddie. "Charlie's okay?"

"Yeah, Carly's at the apartment now."

"You showed her how to heat the milk?"

"Yes."

"You told her that Charlie likes to have her bear beside her at all times?"

"Yes."

"You made sure she has your mom's and Dr. Evans' number?"

"Yes. The numbers are on the fridge. Sam, relax! It's Carly," he reassured her.

Sam let out a breath. "I know, I know…"

"The sooner we do this, the sooner Freddie can get back home to Charile," Gibby told them, starting to get impatient and Julie nudged him none too gently.

"Alright." Sam sat down in her chair. "Show us what you've got, Freddie."

Freddie moved over to his laptop, where he had set it up next to the projector, and everyone took their seats. Freddie turned off the lights and turned the projector on. He took a deep breath and proceeded to walk them through the website he had designed for Gibby's, page by page.

The further he got in the presentation, the more confidence he gained, he just pretended that he was speaking to regular clients instead of his closest friends. He also carefully avoided looking at Sam and her reactions, looking to Gibby and Julie instead when he needed to acknowledge his audience. He moved on from the website to the app that he had designed for Pearphones, which customers could use to make reservations and pick-up orders.

When he finished he turned the lights back on and finally found the courage to look at Sam. She was frowning and Freddie's heart sank, knowing that couldn't possibly be good.

"It's really great stuff," Sam said.

"The website looks amazing," Julie put in.

Freddie's full attention was on Sam though. "But…" He prompted her.

Sam exchanged a glance with Gibby. "But it all looks really expensive. Who's going to run the website and keep it updated? We'll need to buy computers and have people who can take the app orders…It's great, Freddie, it is. I like how the site kind of looks like our old iCarly site, but it looks more complicated than we can afford."

"It doesn't have to be expensive though. I can maintain the website for you, just like how I did with our iCarly site. You just need to buy one computer that all the app orders will be forwarded to and I can train some of your people on how to use it. You already have a couple people who are good with computers. Louis, one of your waiters, is a freshman at Seattle Tech."

"Isn't Sandra a Computer Science major?" Julie asked Sam.

"Yes! See? You just need to utilize resources that you already have," Freddie said eagerly.

"I like it,"Gibby proclaimed.

Sam rubbed her forehead. "Okay, I'll put it on the agenda for the next staff meeting. Gibby, Jules, can I speak to Freddie alone?"

"Sure, I'll just head back to the kitchen," Julie said, standing up. "Great job on the site," she told Freddie as she passed by him and he smiled gratefully at her.

Gibby looked between him and Sam. "I feel like a hot meat sandwich," he said. "Julie, wait up!" He rushed out the door, closing it behind him.

Freddie, feeling more nervous than ever, took Gibby's vacated seat across from Sam.

"You can tell me the truth, Sam. Just point out what you don't like and I'll try to fix it…"

"Shut up, Freddie," she interrupted.

He shut his mouth, feeling only a tiny bit offended.

"I wasn't lying when I said I liked it, all of it. We just need to discuss your payment."

"My payment?"

"I still need to talk about this with my investors and see if they'll approve the capital needed to do this. But considering that one-third of the vote is coming from your mother, I think you've got it in the bag. Next, I have to run it by my staff. I can give you a small advance for the work you've done so far and then you'll get full payment when the site and the app are both up and running."

"I don't need the advance," Freddie said.

Sam gave him an exasperated look. "Don't do this, Freddie. Don't do special favors for me just because you want to date me or whatever."

His jaw dropped. "That's not what I'm doing!"

She raised an eyebrow. "So this is how you treat all of your clients? It's a wonder you're making any money at all if your services are apparently free."

"I'm not doing favors for you because I want to date you. If I'm doing favors for you, it's because you're my best friend," he defended.

"Well, you can't do that either. You have a business, Freddie, and so do I. You have to treat me like any other client."

"Okay," Freddie agreed. "I'll take the advance then."

"And if you're going to be maintaining the website, I'll have to pay you for that too," Sam said.

"You can hire me as a contractor and pay me a contractor's fee. I can set up the website with advertisers, not too many!" He said quickly, when he saw Sam about to protest. "And only those relevant to the restaurant. Like, what if we put up a small sidebar advertisement for your school? If we do that, then revenue from the advertisements can pay my fee and generate income for the restaurant."

"So is this your job?" she asked. "You run all these websites for people?"

"Actually, no. I design the websites and sometimes apps for companies and small businesses then they hire someone to maintain it."

"Then why are you offering to do this for us? Isn't it just added work for you?"

"Yeah, but its work I care about. This restaurant is an amazing thing you've done, Sam, and I want to help get word of it out there. The whole world should know about Gibby's."

"And what about training people on taking the app orders?"

"I can do that, I can work with some of your employees in a full day or a couple of hours spread out over a few days, whatever works for you and them."

Sam thought it over, playing with a pen in her hand. "What about Charlie? Who's going to watch her while you're here?"

Freddie paused. He hadn't thought of that. "It's not like it will be a permanent thing, Sam. I'm sure we can get someone to watch Charlie for a few hours."

Sam continued playing with her pen, tapping it on the desk. Freddie knew that she was still thinking and kept silent.

"Okay," she finally said after a few minutes. "We'll do it."

He grinned. "You won't regret it, Sam. I swear."

"Yeah yeah. Just go home and rescue our baby. Carly probably has her in a puffy pink dress and a tiara by now."

Freddie couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he left the office, feeling like he was walking on air. And not because he had successfully closed a deal, he couldn't care less about that after hearing what Sam had just said. He wasn't sure if she caught it, and he certainly wasn't going to point it out to her, but Sam had referred to Charlie as '_our'_ baby. He resisted the urge to skip home, feeling like such a girl but far too happy to care.

* * *

Sam hadn't forgotten this time. In fact, she had been planning this for a week. It was Charlie's two month birthday and Sam felt at once ecstatic and nostalgic. The days were passing by so quickly. The party she had planned wasn't a big thing like what Freddie and Carly had done a month ago; it would just be their little group of five, plus Ian, Julie and Mrs. Benson. Sam had wavered on inviting Mrs. Benson but she was such a big help when they brought Charlie to the hospital and during the weeks of her colic that Sam felt she owed her.

Charlie's birthday happened to fall on a Saturday on this particular month and Sam was up at dawn and moving around the kitchen, prepping the food that she would cook for the party. Freddie walked in while she was wrapping hot dogs in bacon, yawning and stretching his arms out.

She looked up. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Yeah, kinda. Why are you cooking so early, Sam? The party isn't until three."

"I'm not cooking. I'm just prepping so that I can cook it all faster later on."

Freddie walked around the counter and was silent. Sam was focused on her task but she could see him standing there unmoving in her peripheral vision and could feel his eyes on her.

She looked over at him. "What?" She asked when she saw him staring at her slack jawed.

"Th-that's my shirt," he said. She looked down and blushed when his gaze roamed over her. She was wearing girl's boxer shorts but the shirt was long enough to cover it, giving the illusion that she was wearing nothing underneath.

"Why are you…when did you…" Freddie couldn't seem to form a complete sentence.

"I grabbed it when I did the laundry," she said, trying to sound casual, like it was no big thing. Like she didn't take comfort in having his blue plaid shirt wrapped around her in bed. "It's comfortable to sleep in."

Freddie still looked speechless, but he was saved from saying anything when Charlie's cry burst through the speaker of the hand held intercom Sam had sitting on the counter.

"I'll get her," he said, practically running from the room.

Sam left behind her pigs in a blanket and began preparing Charlie's bottle. The milk was warm and ready by the time Freddie came out with her. She took him from his arms.

"Hello," she said sweetly, kissing Charlie's cheek. "Look who's two months today. My precious baby's getting so big now. Aren't you…aren't you?"

Charlie raised a hand up, clutching some of Sam's hair that fell across her chest in her little fist. The baby was often fascinated by her hair, and in their playful moments Sam liked to swing it around in front of her and watch her eyes follow it back and forth, her hands coming up to try and grab it. Charlie's grip was getting stronger though and now Sam struggled to remove her hair from her fist. Her scalp had always been sensitive and she winced as even Charlie's little tugs sent tiny stabs of pain up to her head.

"Ow, baby, you have to let go…" She looked at Freddie, who was just standing looking slightly dazed. "A little help here, Fredward?"

He snapped back to attention and moved over to them. He tried to pry her hair out of Charlie's hand, yanking it harder as he did so.

"Hair, hair!" Sam moaned.

"Sorry! She has a really tight grip."

"She has the Puckett strength, alright. Just make her let go!"

Freddie moved back and decided to try a different tactic. He started tickling Charlie's tummy, making faces and baby sounds at her to try and distract her.

Charlie looked up at him, her eyes wide and her head following Freddie's movements. He took her hand and gently rubbed it and her palm opened up, freeing the strands of hair. Sam quickly swept her hair behind her shoulders and out of the baby's reach.

"Thanks," she said to Freddie, grabbing the bottle from the counter and putting it to Charlie's mouth.

Freddie stood there, watching Sam feed the baby and wearing his shirt. She was so beautiful it made his heart ache. It would be the perfect Saturday morning sight if only she were really his. What he wouldn't give to be able to wrap his arms around her, to kiss that spot on her neck that she liked, fully exposed now with her hair swept back. The urge to do so was so strong that it was physically painful.

He rubbed his hand over his face. "I'm going to take a shower," he said, not seeing how Sam's eyes followed him all the way down the hall.

* * *

Sam dressed Charlie in her brand new green dress and carefully brushed her hair, placing a barrette in it.

"Look at you," she said. "You're so pretty. My gorgeous little baby."

"Aren't you going to get dressed?" Freddie asked from the doorway. "They're going to be here any minute."

Sam looked down at herself, she was wearing an old t-shirt and jeans, which she had cooked in and was now slightly damp from bathing Charlie.

"Alright," she said, handing Freddie the baby.

The doorbell rang right on cue and Sam looked torn but Freddie simply shooed her towards her bedroom. "Get changed, go," he ordered.

Sam crossed the hall to her room and Freddie went to answer the door. He opened it to Julie, Spencer standing right behind her.

"Hey guys," he said. "Come on in."

"I have the cake," Julie held up her box proudly.

"I have a present!" Spencer said.

"You can put that on the table," Freddie told him.

"Where's Sam?" Julie asked.

"She's just getting dressed."

"Look at you little miss two months old," Spencer said to Charlie, taking her from Freddie and baby talking her.

Freddie couldn't help but notice the way that Julie watched Spencer with Charlie. He didn't think her face looked that different from his when he watched Sam.

"Hey, Julie," he said gently, breaking her out of her trance. "I can put that in the kitchen for you."

She handed over the box and he brought it to the kitchen. Sam came out just as he placed it on the counter.

"Oh, is that the cake? Let me see." She lifted up the cover.

It was a more simple cake than the last one, as Sam didn't want to trouble Julie too much. A round white cake with 'Happy 2 Months Charlie' written in the middle and little balloons and hearts decorating it. Even for a simple cake, it still looked beautiful and delicious.

"Julie, you're brilliant," Sam said, walking into the living room where Spencer and Julie were playing with Charlie on the couch. "Thank you."

"Oh please, thank you for letting me do it. You know how much I love making those things. Especially for someone as adorable as this little girl," she said, kissing Charlie's cheek.

"I got her a present!" Spencer said enthusiastically, gesturing to the large square present on the table.

Sam looked at it warily. "Spencer, I swear to God, if anything in there bursts into flames…"

"It won't! I bought it at the store and I didn't even open the box. And I had them gift wrap it."

Sam looked placated. "Well, we can't open it until everyone else gets here."

The doorbell rang and Sam elbowed Freddie. He obediently went to open the door. Carly and Ian stood there, holding a present each.

"Hey guys," he smiled.

"Spencer!" Carly said in shock as she spotted her brother. "You're actually early."

"Why is that surprising? I'm early to stuff," he said defensively.

Freddie was about to close the door when an all too familiar voice called out, "Wait! I'm here!"

He looked out into the hall and sure enough, it was his mom walking quickly towards him.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" He asked when she reached him.

"Samantha invited me, of course," she said.

"She…did?" He looked at Sam, talking to Carly, as his mom walked past him into the apartment. Sure enough, when Sam spotted his mom, she stood up and greeted her.

Freddie knew that his mom had monthly meetings with Sam about the restaurant, and his mom had been a huge help with Charlie's colic but since when had they become _friends_? It boggled his mind.

He looked around at his roomful of friends, only Gibby was missing now. And as if his thoughts had summoned him, a voice behind him said "Gibbeeh."

Freddie chuckled to himself and turned and greeted him.

"Freddie! Freddie! Come here!" Sam called frantically.

He turned around, feeling panicked, but Sam was smiling, her attention focused on Charlie who was in Carly's arms. Everyone was gathered around them. He made his way over, trying to see what had happened.

Sam grabbed his arm and pulled him next to her. "Look at her!"

He did. There was nothing unusual, as far as he could tell, about the baby.

And then Carly pushed her headband, which had a large black and white flower on top of it, down over her eyes and scrunched up her face. Charlie smiled. Not those little smiles that some websites told him might be gas, but a big full smile that stretched her cheeks. His heart skipped a beat, he didn't think he'd ever seen a sight more beautiful.

Sam squeezed his arm in excitement and he looked at her. The smile on her face rivaled that of Charlie's and he had to amend his earlier assessment. Those two smiles were equally beautiful. He wrapped an arm around her as she took the baby from Carly, kissing her adoringly all over her face, and leaned into Freddie's chest.

He could have kissed her right there and then, in their living room with all of their friends surrounding them. Freddie almost turned his brain off and threw all caution to the wind.

"Can we open presents now?" Spencer asked loudly, breaking the spell and making Freddie realize what he was about to do. He dropped his arm. Sam didn't seem to notice, she was so focused on Charlie. But when he looked up and met his mother's eyes, he knew that she had seen everything.

* * *

Sam had dealt with lawyers before. There were the DA's that took her cases whenever she got arrested and put into juvie when she was younger. And then there was Anita Williams, her lawyer for the restaurant that Principal Franklin had introduced her to. But sitting here in the office of Ian's father, it was the most nervous she had ever felt dealing with legal authority.

The secretary had shown her and Freddie into Attorney Robert McBride's office and they sat there waiting for him to finish a meeting. Freddie had Charlie in a carrier strapped across his chest and Sam moved her chair closer to them so that she could take Charlie's hand, bring her little fist up to her lips.

"It'll be okay, Sam," Freddie said.

"How can you know that?"

"Because there's no better guardian for Charlie than you."

The door opened behind them and Attorney McBride walked. Neither Sam nor Freddie had seen or met him before but Freddie felt that he would recognize him if he just saw him on the street. He looked like a slightly taller and older version of Ian, with thick dark brown hair that was turning gray at the edges. They both stood up to greet him.

"Sam, Freddie," he said, shaking each of their hands. "And this must be Charlie. My son has told me a lot about you."

"Thank you for seeing us," said Freddie, as they all took their seats.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. So let's get started, shall we?" He put on glasses and opened a folder. "Ian was a little unclear on what you wanted to do. Do you want guardianship of the baby or do you want to adopt her?"

"Do you think it would be possible to…adopt her?" Sam asked hesitantly.

"Can you explain the situation with your sister to me in your own words, starting from when she left Charlie in your care?"

Sam did so, recounting the night Melanie had appeared at her door in its entirety, and then her inability to contact her sister afterwards. Attorney McBride listened carefully and took notes.

"Well, Sam, we can petition the court for legal guardianship right now on the grounds of abandonment. But what will be brought into question is your mother. The court will want to know why you should be given custody of the baby over your mother when you're only nineteen."

"Because my mom's insane," Sam scoffed.

His brow furrowed. "Is that a serious assessment?"

"Pam Puckett would not be a fit guardian," said Freddie, stepping in. "She drinks…a lot and she has questionable taste in men."

"Is this true, Sam?" Attorney McBride asked.

"Yeah, not to mention that she doesn't always pay the bills, she doesn't shop for groceries, and she leaves the city, or the state, or hell, even the country, whenever she feels like it."

"And Sam gives her money now," Freddie added.

"You financially support your mother, Sam?"

"Yeah, pretty much. She owns the house because my J'Maw Maw made sure that the money in her will went to buying the house when she died. I give her money for food and bills, but knowing her she just spends it all on bikinis and tattoos."

"Then this case is in the bag," Attorney McBride said confidently. "You can get guardianship but adoption will be a lengthier process."

"We'll take guardianship for right now," Freddie said.

The attorney looked between the two of them. "Is it just Sam petitioning? Or will it be the two of you?"

Freddie looked at Sam and she looked back at him.

"Just me," Sam said quickly, trying to ignore the disappointment that flashed in Freddie's eyes.

"That's a wise decision for right now since Sam is the relative."

"But if I wanted to adopt Charlie?" Sam asked. "What would I have to do?"

"I suggest waiting on this. Guardianship will give you all of the legal rights, Sam. Even if your sister were to come back into the picture, she won't be able to take Charlie from you. She'll have to hire her own lawyer and go to battle with me," he smiled. "You can do a relative adoption, but understand that you're only nineteen and still in school. There will be people who will observe your home and work environment very closely, they'll look at the financial stability of your restaurant, and your past record."

"You mean my juvie record?"

Attorney McBride looked at her kindly. "Yes. They'll interview people, your parole officer, your DA's, your teachers…Your entire life will be overturned, Sam. I think the process will be smoother if you wait and have a few years of guardianship under your belt. The judge will be more likely to speed things up if the baby has already grown up with you."

He looked between the two of them and smiled. "And if this relationship has grown serious enough that you might want to marry, it'll be even better for the process."

"Wait…wha-no. We're not like that," Sam waved a hand between her and Freddie. "We're not together."

"Oh," said Attorney McBride in surprise. "I'm sorry, I just assumed…"

Charlie cried and Freddie stood up with her, taking her out of the carrier. "Uh, Sam, we have a diaper situation," he said, his nose crinkling up.

Sam looked at the attorney apologetically.

"It's alright," he smiled in understanding. "I have three kids. I remember the diaper days all too well."

She took the baby from Freddie. "Thank you for your time today," she said.

"Not a problem. I'll start the guardianship petition right away and contact you with more information."

"Thank you," Freddie said, shaking his hand.

They left the office, Charlie crying and squirming in Sam's arms. Freddie went to talk to the secretary and pay the fee while Sam searched for a restroom but she knew she didn't imagine the way that Freddie wouldn't meet her eye. She wondered at what he had expected from this meeting and just how far she had let him into Charlie's life.

* * *

"This website looks great to me," said Principal Franklin after Sam had presented it in her meeting with her investors.

"Freddie did a great job," Spencer said.

"Well, of course he did," said Marissa, tilting her chin up proudly. "He's making a career out of this, you know."

Sam leaned back against her desk, facing the three people who were financially responsible for the capital of her restaurant. Well, Spencer attended these meetings in Colonel Shay's place but he sort of counted.

"Freddie says the website will generate revenue through advertisements but until that money starts coming in, the cost of starting and maintaining it will be significant," Sam said.

Principal Franklin nodded. "It's good advertisement and publicity though, it'll bring in more customers."

"I say do it," Spencer grinned.

Marissa looked at him. "Do it?" She repeated incredulously. "Just like that? While I trust the brilliance of my son, there is a lot to think about here. The budget and the turnaround that we can expect for money to start coming in, for example. Will it cut into the profit of the restaurant?"

"I have it all computed and typed up here," Sam said, handing out three folders to them. "I also want to propose a slight menu change to cut down on costs and a redesign of the menu as well. But that's a topic for the next meeting. I want you all to read the specifics first."

Principal Franklin flipped through his folder and stood up. "Alright Sam, should we reconvene next week for a decision?"

"You know I don't like it when you use big words, Ted," she teased.

"And yet you seem to use them daily now," he smiled at her.

"Say hi to Emily for me."

"Why don't you say hi yourself when we have dinner here on Friday night?"

Sam shrugged and smiled up at him. "I could do that."

"I'm afraid I must get back to Ridgeway now. Marissa, Spencer," he nodded at them.

"Bye Principal Franklin," Spencer said and Marissa walked him to the door.

"So how's Charlie, Sam?" Spencer asked.

"She's great. She's smiling more than ever. Freddie and I have been performing some old iCarly sketches for her. She loves it," Sam grinned. "When she's old enough Freddie's going to show her the archive of videos."

"Hey, do you I think I could do my-?"

"No, Spencer," Sam interuppted.

"But if I-"

"No, Spencer," Sam said firmly.

"Why not?" He pouted.

"Because everything you do seems to involve unintentional pyrotechnics or combustion!"

"Wow, Principal Franklin is right. You do use big words now."

Sam stared him down. "What's the rule, Spencer?"

He bowed his head like a scolded child. "No toy or object that I have altered or touched outside of its container is allowed near the baby," he recited.

"Good," Sam said.

Marissa, who was standing beside the door, cleared her throat, capturing their attention.

"Spencer, could I speak to Sam alone?"

"Sure," he said, standing up. "I was actually going to uh, maybe visit the kitchen…"

Sam grinned slyly. "You mean visit Julie?"

Spencer actually blushed. "No, I just like to see kitchen things and if she happens to be there…"

"She's a chef. She's _always_ in the kitchen," Sam retorted.

"Yeah, bye!" Spencer said quickly, all but running out the door.

"Goodness," Marissa said as the door slammed behind him.

"Come on, it's Spencer, aren't you used to him by now?"

"I suppose," she said, sitting down.

Sam chose to sit in Spencer's vacated seat across from Marissa instead of in her own chair, not wanting to put a desk between them. Sam's opinion of Marissa had increased exponentially since they started working together on the restaurant, and even more so since she had helped with Charlie's colic. Sam would never admit it out loud, but Marissa was one of the few responsible adults that she knew and she valued her opinion highly.

"So, what did you want to talk about, Mrs. Benson?" Sam asked.

"I understand that Freddie is living with you now," she said.

"He sleeps in the living room," Sam explained quickly. "And we're looking for a bigger place with three bedrooms."

"Sam, I like you…"

"I do," she said when Sam looked at her in disbelief. "But I just don't think you and Freddie have thought this arrangement all the way through."

Sam shrugged. "It works for us."

"Yes, for right now."

"What are you really trying to say, Mrs. B?" Sam asked, feeling her patience starting to run thin.

"I think Freddie is too young to be a father," Marissa said in a rush, the words almost stringing together.

"He's not Charlie's dad," said Sam, leaning back in her seat.

"He might as well be. He spends more time with her during the day than you do and now he's living with the two of you…"

"I didn't ask him to take care of Charlie."

Marissa seemed to decide on a different tactic. "I think it's an amazing thing that you're doing with Charlie, Sam. There aren't many young girls out there who would have the strength to raise a child at your age, let alone one that's not theirs. I just worry about Freddie and the future he might be giving up for you."

"I'm not asking him to give up anything. Look, Mrs. B…"

"You won't have to ask him," Marissa interrupted. "I know my son. I know how much he loves you. He'll give up the world for you, Sam. And while it's very noble of him, I'm afraid he's going to look back one day and regret the things he didn't do."

"You have the restaurant, Sam. You've built a career for yourself and you know what you want. But Freddie is still trying to figure things out. I'm just afraid that he's settling down too early."

Sam sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, standing up and pacing. None of what Marissa was saying was new to her. They were all thoughts that she'd been pushing to the back of her mind because her arrangement with Freddie was working so well. But she couldn't ignore them forever.

"Why are you telling me this and not Freddie?"

"Because Freddie is stubborn and you know just as well as I do that he's not going to listen to me on something like this. Sam, I love my son more than anything and I have to admit that I haven't done my best job as a mother in the past year. I've been selfish and too afraid to let him go. I should have insisted that he go to MIT when he was accepted."

"Why didn't he go anyway? He's never wanted to talk about it and I thought it might have been a money thing…"

Marissa shook her head. "No, we could have afforded it. Freddie's father and I set up a college fund for him after he was born and I haven't touched it. I just…Oh isn't it obvious, Sam?" Marissa looked at her in a hopeless sort of way. "He stayed because of you."

"Me? Why would he have stayed because of me? We weren't even together!"

"But he's in love with you."

Sam closed her eyes and sat back down. It wasn't like she could contradict Marissa's claim. Wasn't he the one who was pressing her for a relationship now? His devotion to her and Charlie was something she cherished and was too afraid to lose, that she wouldn't even let herself think about where it was coming from or what motivations Freddie might have.

"And I took advantage of that," Marissa admitted. "I used you and your restaurant to bribe him."

"Wait, what?" Sam looked at her, feeling massively confused.

"When he decided to go to Seattle Tech, I became…irrationally…afraid of dorm life so told him that I would invest money in your restaurant if he agreed to live at home."

"Bu-but…why…" Sam sputtered, not being able to process this.

"You see, Sam. There's nothing that Freddie won't do for you and that scares me. There's going to come a time when he's going to have to put himself first. And that will never happen if he has a family before he graduates college."

"Well, what do want me to do?" Sam asked, feeling overwhelmed by everything Marissa had told her.

"I don't know. Just…Please think carefully before you two take things any further."

Marissa patted Sam's hand gently, but she barely felt it as her head was still spinning, and stood up and left. Sam sat there, feeling more confused than she had ever felt in her life. She didn't think things could get any more complicated than the night her sister had left her with a baby. Apparently she was wrong.

* * *

Freddie had been feeling a little restless. He loved Charlie with all his heart and he loved spending time with her, but spending day after day after day in a small apartment with a baby could get wearing on anyone. He just needed a bit of fresh air. So he bundled up Charlie in her jacket and hat and took her out to the park.

It was afternoon so the park was filled with young kids having play time after school, accompanied by mothers or older siblings who strolled around or sat on benches chatting with each other. Charlie was still too small to be on the playground, even those baby swings, so Freddie decided to just push her stroller around the cemented jogging trail.

He hadn't been to this park in such a long time, not since high school, but as he walked underneath the still familiar trees, the wind blowing in his face, the sounds of laughter and screaming getting further and further away, Freddie finally felt some of the restlessness that he was feeling melt away.

He breathed in and out, taking note of each inhale and exhale. He tried to figure out what his problem was. He was happy where he was and he wouldn't change a thing. But maybe it was all just becoming a little too routine? It felt like he didn't do anything anymore except go to school, work, and look after Charlie. He can't remember the last time he had hung out with his friends, or just gone to a movie. As much as he loved Sam and Charlie, a guy needed some time to himself every once in awhile, right?

He knew that he couldn't tell Sam any of this. She would take it the wrong way and think that he was wanting out of their arrangement. Freddie sighed and picked up Charlie, bouncing her up and down in the way she liked before just holding her to his shoulder.

"Oh, that's such an adorable baby!" Someone said. Freddie looked over to see a girl in a jogging outfit making her way towards him. When she reached his side, she pulled her earphones out of her ear and looked at Charlie.

"What's her name?"

"Uh, Charlotte but we call her Charlie," Freddie said.

The girl had long dark hair, olive skin tone, and a nice smile. Freddie wasn't interested but he would have to be blind to not notice that she was attractive.

"Hi Charlie," she said, cooing in a baby voice. "Is she yours?" She asked.

_Yes!_ Freddie's mind screamed but he thought about the meeting with Ian's dad the other day, how Sam hadn't even seemed to consider him and his role in Charlie's life. It's not like he expected co-guardianship or anything, but would it hurt to just consider it?

"No," he said. "I'm kind of…baby-sitting."

The girl smiled up at him. "Isn't that sweet? I'm Janine by the way."

She held her hand out for him to shake and he hesitantly did so, Charlie still balanced in one arm.

"I'm Freddie," he said.

"No, wait…You're not Freddie Benson, are you?"

"Uh, yeah, that's me."

"No way!" Janine bounced enthusiastically. "I think you know my brother Matt Bloomington. He works for the company Envision. You redesigned their website, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did," said Freddie, all of it clicking in his head. It was a project he had done months ago and Matt Bloomington was his main contact person at the company.

"You did a great job, the site looks fantastic."

"Thanks," he smiled politely, beginning to feel uncomfortable with the way she was stroking his arm. He laid Charlie down in her stroller just to have an excuse to move away from her.

"You know, my brother showed me some clips of that web show you used to do. iCarly, right?"

"Yeah," Freddie said. "Hey, um, the wind is starting to pick up. I should get Charlie home. It was nice meeting you though."

Janine's smile fell a little but she recovered quickly. "Oh hey, did you know that my brother's cell phone number changed recently?"

"We don't really keep in touch anymore…"

"But he keeps telling me that he means to call you again, it's something to do with the website."

"Well, my number hasn't changed."

"But my brother is so forgetful, maybe you should call him. I'll give you his number!" She dug around in her jacket pocket and held up a piece of paper triumphantly. "Do you have a pen?"

Freddie was going to say no but her eyes landed on the pen sticking out of the pocket of Charlie's baby bag. "Oh, there's one!"

She grabbed it and began writing on the paper. Before Freddie could even blink she was folding it up and putting it in his jacket pocket, getting closer to his personal space than he was comfortable with.

"There you go," Janine smiled brightly. "I hope I see around, Freddie."

She plugged her earphones back in and took off running.

Freddie looked down at Charlie. "That was weird, wasn't it?" he said, leaning down over her. "Hey, you want to visit mama?"

Charlie smiled at him, that little smile he couldn't get enough of, and he took it as a yes.

* * *

Garrett Anderson had walked in like he owned the place, all smiles and smooth confidence. It grated on Sam's nerves but she forced herself to smile back and showed him to the back corner booth. The same booth that her friends sat in and the same booth where they held their meeting last week.

"Are we going to order?" Garrett asked.

"You can order. I'm not hungry."

"Is it on the house?"

Sam sighed. "Can we just get this over with?"

He laughed. "Girls don't usually say that to me."

She glared at him.

Garrett held his hands up. "Sorry. I'm sorry. I'll behave. But you have to admit you walked into that one."

"Yeah, whatever," said Sam, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, so let's get to business…"

They spent the next hour talking about franchising, Garrett walking Sam through all of the particulars. She hated to admit it but he was smart and he really knew what he was talking about. He made it sound like Sam's life could be glamorous, like all of her problems would be taken care of and the money would be rolling in. And maybe that wasn't the reality. Maybe it wasn't going to be as easy as he made it sound but just for a little while Sam wanted to pretend that it would be. Nothing in her life ever came easy and she just wanted to live in the fantasy for a little bit. Was that such a crime?

They did end up ordering food, some fries and nachos. Garrett had ordered two of each, ensuring that Sam had her own.

"I'm thinking of changing the menu," Sam told him.

"Really? I like your oddball menu," said Garrett while he munched on a fry. "It has character."

"I just want to get rid of some stuff that don't sell as well as the others and maybe add a few new things. And since we're getting a website, it seems like a perfect time to redesign the look of the menus and add the site address to it."

"You're getting a website?"

"Yeah, my friend Freddie is a bit of a tech genius and he's designing it."

"Freddie Benson from iCarly?"

"The one and the same."

"You guys are still friends then?"

Sam scoffed. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"I don't know, you guys seemed to have a volatile relationship on the show. Hey, didn't you date?"

"It creeps me out how much you know about me," she said.

"I do my research," he smiled. "And anyone that watched the show knew about the two of you."

"That was a long time ago," Sam said, picking at the cheese that stuck to the paper on her nacho basket.

"So you're not together anymore?"

"That's none of your business."

"Maybe not. But uh…" Garrett looked at her shyly, pushing his own empty nacho basket around. "I've been having fun talking to you, Sam," he confessed. "I know we've only met up a couple of times but you're funny, smart, and cool. I was wondering if maybe you'd want to do this again – with me – but with no business talk."

"Like a date?" Sam asked incredulously.

"Yeah," he smiled at her and she was struck by how cute he really was, but she hadn't ever considered going out with him. She barely even liked him as a person, although she was starting to realize that maybe there was something he hid underneath his cocky exterior.

"What, is this some new strategy to get me to agree to franchise?"

Garrett looked disappointed, maybe even a little hurt if Sam read him right, but he recovered quickly, his confident and smooth smile back in place within seconds. "You know what? I'm talking crazy. Mixing business and pleasure isn't a good idea."

He stood up. "Same time, same place next week?"

Sam still felt bewildered, not able to keep up with his rapid pace. "Yeah," she agreed, if only for the reason that she felt there was nothing else she could do at the moment.

"See you, Sam," he said, tipping his head at her, almost bowing.

He walked away and only when Sam stood up did she see Freddie pushing Charlie's stroller through the middle of the restaurant. Garrett crossed his path and Sam's heart stopped, so sure that he was going to say something to Freddie.

But he only smiled and said "excuse me," walking around the stroller and straight to the door. Sam walked over to Freddie.

"Hey," he said.

"What are you doing here? Is something wrong?" She bent over Charlie, who smiled when she saw her.

"No, nothing's wrong. I just took Charlie for a walk in the park and we thought we'd stop by."

Sam lifted Charlie and soon as she did, she was swarmed by her co-workers, all wanting to say hello to Charlie and to take turns carrying her. Sam noticed that they were attracting the attention of the customers and ushered everyone to a corner of the restaurant, near the back hallway.

Charlie seemed to take delight in being the center of attention, smiling and gurgling, and waving her little arms as she was passed around.

"Okay, I didn't expect that," Freddie said to Sam.

"I'll take this into the office," she said, commandeering the stroller. "Want to just eat dinner here?"

"Sure," Freddie took off his jacket and draped it over the stroller handle. "The booth?"

"Um, yeah," Sam said, feeling inexplicably guilty that she was sitting in that booth with Garrett just a few minutes ago. It's not like she was doing anything wrong.

She pushed the stroller into her office and was just heading back out when she heard Charlie crying, apparently already tired of the attention.

"Sam," Freddie called out from the hallway. "Can you get Charlie's pacifier? It's in my jacket pocket."

She picked up his jacket and dug through the pocket, pulling out the pacifier and a piece of paper fell out. Sam picked it up and unfolded it.

_Janine Bloomington (206) 269-8744 Call me :)_

Sam clutched her stomach, feeling sick. A walk in the park? It seemed that Freddie did a little more than that today.

In a red haze, she walked to her desk and violently pulled open her drawer, fumbling around until she found what she was looking for buried underneath papers. She pulled out Garrett's calling card and dialed the number.

He answered on the first ring.

"Hi, Garrett? It's Sam. About that date…I think we should do it."

* * *

**A/N 2: For all of you Spanish speakers out there, this story is currently being translated into Spanish by JanetStroke16. I can't link it here but you can find the story under my favorites. Leave some love there for both me and JanetStroke16 if you read it. :) And don't forget that you can find me on Twitter at heartlines12.**

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	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry this took so long, this was a bit difficult to write but I've been wanting to write the end scene for weeks now so hopefully it's worth the wait. :) I can't thank you guys enough for the favorites, alerts, and reviews. Hope you enjoy this one!**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Freddie looked across the table where Sam was fussing with Charlie, studiously ignoring her food and _him_. He might be going crazy but he could swear that Sam had been giving him the cold shoulder ever since she walked out of her office. Had he done something to make her angry? That was ridiculous though, what could he have done in under an hour to make Sam mad? And anyways, Sam was never one for the passive aggressive silent treatment. She was aggressive all the way, yelling and beating out her frustration. Maybe he was just imagining that she was acting different.

"So, how did the investors meeting go?" He asked.

Sam didn't even look at him, keeping her eyes on Charlie. "Don't worry, Benson. Your mommy is all for the website. Nepotism will win the day."

He wasn't imagining it. Freddie put down his burger.

"What's wrong, Sam?"

"Nothing's wrong with me. Something's always wrong with you," she said, glancing up at him briefly. "Right, Charlie? Right? Something's always wrong with Freddie," she cooed to the baby.

He knew that if he kept pushing, Sam would get hostile, possibly even violent. The last thing he wanted was to make a scene in the middle of the restaurant so he dropped the issue.

"Aren't you going to eat that?" He gestured to her untouched burger sitting in front of her.

Sam sighed heavily, like he had just asked her to negotiate peace in the Middle East. "I'm going to my office, let me know when you're ready to go," she said, scooting out of the booth with Charlie in her arms.

Freddie stared after her, wondering what it was that he could have possibly done.

* * *

Sam knew that she had to get a grip on herself, but she couldn't help it, she could barely bring herself to even look at Freddie. She thought that he wanted to be with her, that he was waiting for her like he'd said. What part of "waiting" included keeping girls' phone numbers in his pocket?

She should have known better than to think that she would ever be enough for Freddie Benson. She wasn't enough in high school and she wasn't now. Sam lifted Charlie up from her crib and sat down in the rocking chair, holding her to her chest and inhaling her sweet, powdery baby smell. Holding the baby grounded her when she thought she might wash away in a wave of pain.

It was hard to avoid someone that you lived with but somehow Sam had managed it for the past two days. She left for work as soon as he walked in the door in the mornings and then secluded herself in Charlie's room when she came home at night. It was the one place that Sam knew that Freddie wouldn't come in and start arguing with her. It also cleared her mind to be with the baby; Charlie was like a balm to her aching heart. Sam knew that a confrontation was coming, that sooner or later the tension between her and Freddie would boil over and all hell would break loose. Old Sam would have gone charging right into it, teeth bared and ready to tear Freddie limb from limb. New Sam was very much aware that this could be it; this would be what sends Freddie out the door. And she wasn't quite ready for that yet.

She pressed a kiss to the top of Charlie's head and laid her down in her crib, carefully tucking her blanket around her and positioning her bear beside her. Tonight was her date with Garrett and she had to get ready.

Sam had almost cancelled eight times since calling Garrett two days ago. But every time she picked up the phone, she imagined Freddie with that girl named Janine. It didn't take much imagination to picture what she would look like: skinny, tall, brunette, beautiful. She could either confront Freddie about it, maybe slap him to make herself feel better. Or she could think about her date with a really smart, really cute guy. As she put her make up on, she started to feel better about her choice. Until Freddie barged into her room.

He looked at her all dressed up in a form fitting black dress and putting mascara on. "Where are you going?"

"I've got a date," Sam said.

"A date?" Freddie repeated incredulously. "With who?"

"His name is Garrett."

"So what, you were just going to go out without telling me? Just leave me here with Charlie while you go off with some guy?"

Sam dropped her mascara wand and turned to face him. "It's not like I need your permission!"

"No, but you could at least show some courtesy to your roommate and the person watching your baby!"

She shoved past him to walk to her closet and get her coat. "He's going to be here any minute so can we just save this argument for later?"

"No," Freddie said. "You've been giving me the cold shoulder for days and I want to know why."

"Why?" Sam said. "Why? You're unbelievable." She turned away and began rifling through her closet.

"What did I do?" Freddie said in frustration.

Sam whirled around. "You lied to me! What was that whole spiel on waiting, Freddie? Just something convenient for you to try to get into my pants?"

His face reddened in anger. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"That girl's number in your pocket? Janine? How many are there, Freddie? So many you can't even keep track?"

Freddie's brow furrowed in confusion and then a dawning realization came over his face and Sam had to turn away and swallow down the disgust she felt.

He laughed hollowly. "So, that's it? You find a girl's number in my pocket and you just assume the worst? You don't even ask me about it? No, you just go off and get a date with some random guy!"

"Garrett's not some random guy," Sam said defensively, not knowing how this turned around on her all of a sudden. "We've been meeting up for awhile. I might go into business with him, actually."

She grabbed her jacket and put it on, carefully avoiding looking at Freddie.

"What do you mean go into business with him?" He asked.

"I'm thinking about franchising Gibby's," she said.

"What?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "I know you're not deaf, Fredward."

She grabbed her purse and walked out of her bedroom, Freddie following behind her.

"Franchising?" He grabbed her arm to make her stop walking and turned her to face him. "When were you going to tell me about this?"

"It's none of your business."

"None of my-? Sam, we live together!"

"Don't do this, Freddie. Don't pretend we're dating when you're using my baby to pick up girls in the park!"

Freddie backed away from her, the anger draining from his face and leaving a sad, empty hollow look in his eyes. Sam realized that she much preferred the anger.

"You know, since we started taking care of Charlie, I thought that this was it, that we'd finally found the equilibrium that we weren't ready for in high school. I thought we were partners and all I had to do was stick around and win your trust. But now…now I find out that you're making big business decisions without even telling me about it. And if you think that's what I was doing in the park, then you don't know me at all. Have fun on your date, Sam."

He sat down on the couch tiredly and Sam stood near the door, her own anger leaving her and feeling more uncertain and confused than she had ever felt. The intercom buzzed and she answered it.

"Hi Sam," Garrett said, his voice coming through sounding crackly and tiny.

"Hey, I'll be right down," she answered.

Sam opened the door, turning around briefly to see Freddie with his head in his hands. She wanted to say something but she couldn't find the words. He looked up and their eyes met.

"For the record," Freddie said. "The girl's name was Janine and she started talking to me in the park. I worked with her brother a few months ago and she wanted to give me his new phone number, I had no idea it was her own number that she stuck in my pocket. And it's not like I would have called her anyway. I said I would wait and I meant it. But I can't wait around for nothing."

He got up and walked towards Charlie's room. Sam's heart sank as she watched him go, in the same way that it did years ago when Carly chewed her out for telling the world that Freddie had never kissed anyone and therefore ruining his life. Her gut was telling her that she had made a big mistake, that she should follow him and apologize. But she couldn't make her feet move and when they did, they carried her out the door and to the elevator, towards a date she didn't really want to go on in the first place. But she wouldn't be a Puckett if she didn't know how to dig her own grave.

* * *

Garrett took her to an expensive French restaurant with a name she couldn't pronounce and therefore didn't bother to remember. Sam had heard her classmates talk about this place, it was rated as one of the best restaurants in Seattle and apparently you had to make reservations weeks in advance. Garrett knew the manager and got them in right away, he even ordered for them because Sam could barely make sense of the menu, which was in both French and English but contained food she wasn't very familiar with. When the food arrived, it was in such tiny portions that would ordinarily have sent Sam into a raging rant. All she could think was that Freddie would never take her to a place like this.

"You're not enjoying yourself, are you?" Garrett asked as they ate their main course.

Sam looked up, startled. Her mind was miles away, across town and in an apartment she had just left. "No, it's…" She tried to lie but decided she couldn't do it. "I don't eat in places like this," she said.

"Oh. Well, you're a chef, I just assumed that you'd enjoy eating the best…"

"The best according to who?" She scoffed. "Some upper crust rating system that's based on nepotism and money than actual merit?"

"As I recall, Gibby's was rated highly by The Seattle Times. Are you saying that you don't deserve that?" He countered.

"That's just a local newspaper, not a restaurant guide that people buy when they care more about what's cool than the actual taste of the food they eat."

"I'm so glad you're enjoying the food," a voice said dryly from behind Sam. She turned to see David, Garrett's manager friend, standing beside a cart.

"Just speaking my mind," said Sam, smiling tightly at him. If it was in her nature to want to please other people, she might have been embarrassed at getting caught bad mouthing the restaurant she was eating at, but that's not who she was.

A busboy cleared their plates and David placed two small but absolutely decadent looking cakes in front of them.

"Our finest dessert," he said, bowing to them and leaving. Sam had to resist the urge to laugh.

She picked up her fork and dug in, as Garrett did the same across from her.

"Pretty good," she said after a few bites. "I think Julie could do better though."

Garrett leaned across the table. "You want to know a secret?"

Sam shrugged noncommittally, her cake already practically gone.

"I didn't bring you here to impress you," he said.

"Good, because then you would have failed spectacularly."

He chuckled. "I brought you here because this is supposedly 'the best' according to, what you pointed out, is a skewed and biased system. And I think you can do far better."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "If you think I'm going to turn Gibby's into something like this, you're dreaming."

"No. But Sam, you've got to be thinking beyond Gibby's, right? Don't you ever dream of expanding? Maybe setting up a different kind of restaurant in the future?"

"Why? I have a perfectly good one now."

"Do you know how hard it is to set up a small business in a city like Seattle and break even in the first year? And then start turning a profit not too long after that? It's nearly impossible, Sam. And to do it at your age…you've got a gift," Garrett said passionately.

"I was also pseudo-famous from iCarly," Sam said. "I got lucky."

"Exactly. You're an underground celebrity. If you act now, you could use your name to expand your business ventures. People will follow you no matter what you do."

"I'm happy with Gibby's as it is," she said firmly. "And if you're done with the business pitch, I think dinner is over."

Garrett looked shamed. "Right. I'm sorry, this is a date and I've turned it into business," he gestured at a waiter for their check. "How about a movie?"

Sam looked at Garrett as he took care of the bill, really looked at him. She tried to decide if she was attracted to him. He was cute, she couldn't deny that. But her heart didn't skip a beat when he looked at her, she didn't feel tingles in her skin when he touched her, he didn't make her want to simultaneously run away and grab him and kiss him.

There's only one person that has ever made her feel that way, only one person that still makes her feel that way despite the fact that they haven't dated in three years. She sipped her water and tried to swallow down the guilt of being somewhere she knows she's not supposed to be, with the wrong person. But what else can she do when being with the right person will give him the power to break her completely?

Garrett hands over the check to their waiter and asks her again if she'd like to see a movie, Sam says yes.

* * *

"We're not going to do this again, are we?"

Sam looked up at Garrett, his eyes a deep green under the streetlight as they stand outside of her building. She wished she could feel something for those eyes other than a heavy, painful longing for a set of brown ones.

"You don't want to?" She asked.

He laughed but there was no humor in it. "I think the issue here is that you don't want to. I know we haven't known each other for very long, Sam, but I know you haven't really been with me tonight. I've had a girlfriend of five years cheat on me, I've caught on to the physically present, mentally absent thing. You're into someone else, right?"

Sam looked away, not willing to answer that though her silence was more than enough of an answer for Garrett.

"It's okay, no hard feelings."

"I didn't mean to lead you on or anything," she said. "I'm just really confused…and scared," she admitted quietly.

"Well, in my experience, when I've been scared of something, the best payoff I ever got was when I chose to dive right in. It always turned out to be not as scary as I built it up to be in my mind. You can take that as relationship advice or business advice," he added. "Either way."

Sam smiled. "You never stop do you?"

"I figure the date thing was a bust, might as well stick to business," he shrugged, smiling back at her.

"About that…I think we should stop the meetings for now. You've given me more than enough information already and I just need time to think it over."

"You're not saying no, though?"

"I need to think," she repeated.

"I'll take it," he said. "Well, you know how to reach me."

"Tonight was fun, Garrett. It was," she insisted when he waved her away. "You're not so bad."

He lifted his shoulders and tilted his head in an innocent gesture. "That's what I've been trying to tell you."

"I still think you're too cocky for your own good," Sam said.

"It's part of my charm," he winked. "So I'll see you?"

"Yeah," she grinned.

Sam watched him walk away and he suddenly turned around. "Hey, Sam!" He called.

"What?"

"Freddie's a lucky guy."

Sam opened her mouth to say something but couldn't think of anything and Garrett reached his car. She stood there as he drove away, knowing that she should go home and face the music but feeling reluctant to do so. She had a feeling that she had really screwed up this time and that if she went home Freddie might leave and never come back.

Instead of going into her building, Sam kept walking in the direction of Bushwell Plaza. She remembered much simpler days when she would always go to this place for refuge; her second home that was so much more of a real home to her than her first one. Carly wouldn't be there and Spencer was probably asleep by now but that suited Sam just fine. She needed somewhere to be alone and think and she knew just the place. She got into the Shay's elevator and pressed the button for the studio.

It wasn't until the doors had closed that Sam realized that getting into this elevator was a mistake. She thought of that night three years ago when she and Freddie had ended their relationship. How he had pressed her up against the wall and kissed her until she couldn't breathe. How at midnight she had watched him walk out of the elevator and had to bite her tongue to keep from begging him to stay with her. Three years and the pieces of her heart still felt jagged and raw, glued together in a haphazard way after that break up. She didn't think she could survive losing him again. But now she was realizing that by keeping him at a distance, she was just pushing him away faster.

The elevator dinged and Sam pushed herself off the wall and walked into the studio. It was so dark that she couldn't see anything and she walked right into Freddie's tech cart. It was light now that it was empty of his equipment and it rolled away, crashing right into the wall. Sam rushed to turn on the light and flopped down onto a bean bag, taking off her painful heels.

The studio still looked pretty much the same as it did when they filmed iCarly there and Sam tried not to think about the fact that up until a few weeks ago Freddie was living here. No matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept circling back to him.

She heard footsteps thundering up the steps and a second later Spencer charged in, carrying a large ceramic frog.

"Aaahhh…Sam," he stopped when he saw her. "I heard a crash and I thought it was an intruder!"

"And you were going to bash his head in with a frog?"

Spencer looked down at the frog. "Yes," he said.

Sam chuckled.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just needed to think. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

Spencer dropped down onto the bean bag next to her, carefully setting the frog down on the floor.

"Did you and Freddie have a fight?"

Sam sighed heavily. "A big one."

"Ha! That's less than a month which means I won the bet…that I did not make with Gibby," he finished lamely off of Sam's glare. "Come on, it's you and Freddie. You guys fight all the time."

"Not like this. I went on a date with someone tonight."

"Not Freddie?"

"No, not Freddie!" She snapped.

He raised his hands up. "Just making sure. Why did you go on a date?"

"I don't know. Because I thought…I don't know! I'm messing everything up and now he's mad at me and he's going to leave," Sam said miserably.

Spencer laughed. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Freddie's not going to leave you."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because he loves you," he said, like it was the simplest thing in the world. "You're Sam and Freddie. Nothing has torn you apart so far, nothing ever will."

"We're not together," she said. "You're forgetting that little fact."

"You're raising a baby together," he pointed out.

Sam leaned back further on the bean bag, almost lying horizontally. She studied the roof above.

"Maybe he should leave," she said quietly.

"Do you want him to?" Spencer asked.

"No. But I'm holding him back. Spencer, do you ever wonder what your life would have been like if you hadn't had to take care of Carly?"

"No, not really. Being her guardian and getting to watch her grow up was pretty amazing. I mean, if she had lived with our grandpa in Yakima I would have barely seen her."

"But you would have lived your own life," Sam argued. "Maybe you could have traveled and tried to get your art into galleries in cities like San Francisco or New York."

"Maybe," he said. "Or maybe I would have finished law school."

Sam looked up at him and their eyes met.

"Nah," they both said.

"Would never have happened, dude," she smirked.

"No, not at all. But the point is, having Carly in my life and even you and Freddie and Gibby, is way better than anything I could have done on my own. If I had to go back to that day when my dad asked me if I would let my sister live with me, I'd say yes all over again."

Sam nodded and went back to studying the roof beam.

"Is this about Charlie? It's okay if you're having second thoughts, you know. Carly was twelve when I took her in, Charlie's a tiny baby. It's totally different…"

"I'm not having second thoughts about Charlie! I'd give up all the ham in the world before I give her up."

"Whoa," Spencer said, genuinely impressed.

"It's just…I feel like I'm forcing Freddie into this baby thing and you know how smart he is. He has his whole future ahead of him, he's going to head up some big tech company and invent geeky toys."

"He can still do that. I think even geeks crawl out of their gadget caves long enough to get married and have kids. It's not one or the other, Sam."

"What if he gets offered some fancy job and he has to move somewhere far away? I have the restaurant, I can't leave Seattle!"

Spencer looked confused. "You're worried about a job offer that Freddie hasn't gotten yet in a future that's at least four years away from now?"

"Don't make it sound ridiculous," she snapped. "Did you know that Freddie was accepted to MIT and he didn't go? Did you know that he lived at home with his crazy mother for his first year of college so that she would invest money in Gibby's?"

"I know the first one but not the second one," Spencer said slowly, still not sure if he was following her.

"He's already making sacrifices for me. Sacrifices that I can't pay back."

"Well, he wouldn't want you to. That's not how it works anyway."

"Okay, oh wise one," Sam said sarcastically. "How does it work?"

"Think of it this way, when Charlie grows up will you expect her to pay back the sacrifices that you've made for her? The money spent, the opportunities you had to give up, the worry and fear, the lack of sleep? Do you think that you'll even be thinking of how to hold that over Charlie's head?"

"No, of course not. That's not the same thing!"

Spencer looked at her. "Yes, it is, Sam. Love is love. Freddie loves you. If he's choosing to be with you and Charlie, he won't regret a thing."

"Mrs. Benson said that if he gives up opportunities now, he'll regret it later."

"With all due respect to Mrs. Benson, I know she means well for her son, but she's not in a position to say that. Only Freddie can make his choices. Reject him if you don't want to be with him, Sam. But don't fool yourself into thinking you're doing the right thing by denying yourself something you both want. You can't make his choices for him, you'll just end up making both him and yourself miserable."

Sam sat up and looked at him. She's known Spencer for half her life and she didn't think she's ever heard him say so many words together that make that much sense.

Spencer seemed to read the disbelief on her face. "I'm not just the comedic relief!" He said defensively. "I can be the deep and wise love guru."

"Then why can't the love guru make a move on the girl he likes?" Sam teased.

"Wha-I..I don't…I don't know what it is you speak of," he spluttered.

"Uh-huh," she punched his arm lightly and stood up. "Thanks Spencer. You really helped me out tonight."

"Anytime," he said. "You know I'm always here to talk. But if you can make it before midnight next time, I would appreciate it."

"I make no promises," Sam said as she punched the elevator button.

* * *

She was nervous as she walked up to her door. It was nearly two a.m. and she didn't know what she'd find inside. Was Freddie waiting up for her? Was she too late and he'd already left? The past two months flashed through her mind. Her sister had left her with a baby and Sam hadn't known at the time how she'd be able to get through it. And then Freddie had stepped in, like a godsend, even when he didn't have to. He got up in the middle of the night for feedings and diaper changes, he sat up all night with her when Charlie had colic and took turns rocking and singing to her, he sacrificed any kind of a social life to stay at home with the baby. She really didn't know what she would have done without him.

Sam had to face what everyone around her already knew; if she was Charlie's mother now then Freddie was her father. And she was realizing that that was exactly how it was supposed to be. Maybe it was happening a little sooner than she would have liked but deep inside Sam always knew that if she was ever going to go the family route, with kids and a house and a dog, she'd only do it with Freddie. Now she just needed to stop screwing this up. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.

The apartment was dark and quiet but the curtains weren't drawn and the light from the streetlamps outside outlined Freddie's body on the sofa bed, his blanket pulled up over his shoulders. Sam knew he wasn't asleep, he was far too still and she saw his shoulders tense up when the door closed. She supposed he was faking sleep to avoid round two of their fight.

She slipped off her coat and shoes and climbed onto the bed, slipping underneath the blanket and scooting until she was pressed up against Freddie and wrapping her arms around him.

"Sam?" He said, sounding surprised.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions about that number and I shouldn't have gone on that date. Nothing happened."

He turned over to face her. "I love you, Sam. You can try to push me away but I'm not going anywhere."

She kissed him, pouring her heart and all of herself into the kiss. Freddie's arms wrapped around her, bringing her impossibly close, until she felt like she might crawl into his skin and their bodies would join as one.

"I love you," she said against his lips.

"Slap me," he whispered.

She pulled away. "What? Why?"

He put his thumb to her swollen lips, caressing it gently. "I think I'm dreaming."

"You're not dreaming, Freddie."

His fingers caressed her neck now, his touch so light and gentle, like she was something precious he was afraid to break but he couldn't get enough of her anyway.

"We're not going to pretend this didn't happen in the morning, are we? I don't think I can-"

She put his fingers to his lips. "You're stuck with me now, Benson. And the baby too," she added. "Think you can handle it?"

Freddie smiled, his eyes lighting up in that way she loved. "Definitely," he said.

She burrowed into his arms, her head finding that perfect spot beneath his chin that she fit right into, her right leg intertwining between the two of his. Sam felt safe and loved and she let herself relax, sleep overtaking her and carrying her to the land of good dreams. Her last conscious thought was that she couldn't wait until she woke up, because what was waiting for her in the real world was far better than anything her dreams could give her.

* * *

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	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hi! First of all, I want to apologize if it seemed like the previous chapter was the last chapter. I didn't mean to make it seem that way and I apologize for the confusion and worry (although I doubt anyone lost any sleep over it lol). This story is far from over! Come on now, Sam and Freddie just got together, the story has yet to earn its M rating. ;) And I still have a few twists and turns up my sleeve. Speaking of rated M...I meant to make this chapter the 'lemon' chapter, I really did. It just got really long so I had to split it. Next chapter, really, I swear. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this one.**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Sam awoke to an empty bed, reaching for a warm body and her hands landing on messy sheets. She sat up abruptly, looking around her. She was still in Freddie's bed in the living room but he was nowhere in sight. The wonderful scent of bacon filled her nostrils and she looked behind her to the kitchen but he wasn't there either.

She pushed the blanket away and got out of bed. She was still wearing her dress from last night and it had ridden up around her waist. She pulled the hem down, blushing at the thought that Freddie might have seen her like this. If he hadn't left, that is. Her heart pounded nervously at the thought. Where was he?

She headed down the hall and breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Freddie's voice in Charlie's room. She peeked into the open doorway, her heart melting at the sight of Freddie holding Charlie in his arms and feeding her her bottle, his back to Sam and unaware that she was watching while he babbled on to Charlie about some new software update for the PearPad. She wanted to go in and wrap her arms around him but became aware of her very full bladder and the sour taste in her mouth that very likely smelled toxic. Without making a sound, she crept away into her own room.

After taking care of her ablutions, Sam brushed her teeth and washed away her make-up from the night before that smeared itself across her face and made her look like a raccoon. So not attractive. Next, she attempted to detangle her hair and peeled off her dress, grabbing another one of Freddie's shirts that she had nicked from his laundry basket. Once she felt like a presentable human being, she made her way back to Charlie's room where Freddie was still feeding the baby but had thankfully stopped his technobabble.

Sam wrapped her arms around his stomach from behind and put her chin on his shoulder, right on top of the burping cloth.

"Hey," he said, grinning at her.

"Hi," she said, kissing his neck.

"Charlie woke up early and I didn't want to wake you. I made you bacon."

"I smelled."

"Give me a minute and I'll make you eggs."

"Mmm…" she mumbled, burying her face in his shoulder, happy to stay right there all morning.

Until Charlie kicked up and her little foot hit the top of Sam's head.

"Ow," Sam said. "Charlie!"

The baby began to get fussy, pulling away from her bottle and squirming in Freddie's arms.

"Looks like someone doesn't like sharing your attention," Sam observed.

Freddie shrugged helplessly at her, trying to get Charlie to stay still.

"I'll go make the eggs," she said. "You better not let her finish that bottle, she gets too full."

"Why don't we buy a smaller bottle then?"

"I forgot to put it on the list."

"You don't make a list."

"Hence forgetting to put it on the list," Sam said in a 'duh' tone. She leaned in to kiss him, wiping that adorable exasperated expression off his face.

Charlie started crying, her shrieks piercing their eardrums.

"Okay, okay," Sam said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm going. You're a temperamental little princess, aren't you?"

"I wonder where she gets it from?" Freddie smirked.

"Watch it, boy!" Sam pointed at him as she backed out of the room.

She wandered into the kitchen, feeling light and happy as she took out the carton of eggs. She even caught herself humming as she heated the pan and she didn't have to look into a mirror to know that she had a stupid grin stretching her face.

Freddie came out just as she was plating the scrambled eggs, setting it beside the bacon. He was grimacing and holding the wet collar of his shirt away from his body while he held Charlie in one arm.

"What happened?" Sam asked, biting back her laughter. She could already guess.

"She spit up and missed most of the cloth."

"I told you not to let her finish her bottle," she sing songed.

"She kept crying every time I took it away! It's like trying to take food away from…well, from you. Except she doesn't punch me."

Sam shrugged. "Give her a couple of years."

He handed her the baby and Sam cooed at her, holding her close. Freddie peeled off his shirt and used it to wipe his neck. Sam struggled to breathe, her heart rate speeding up as she watched his biceps flex.

Freddie caught her looking and grinned, then he took in what she was wearing, his eyes raking over her from head to toe.

"Sam," he said, his voice low. "Put the baby down."

She put Charlie into her carrier, which was sitting on the counter. As soon as she had Charlie settled in, Freddie grabbed her and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him, practically clawing his bare back, trying to get closer. Freddie's tongue traced across her lower lip and she parted them willingly.

"God, I love it when you wear my clothes," he said when they parted for air, his hands on her hips bunching up the fabric and hiking it up higher and higher…

Sam slapped his hands away. "Charlie's right there!" She giggled.

He pulled her close and buried his face in her neck. She moaned when he started nibbling on that spot right below her collarbone and then Charlie started crying, making her presence known.

Sam reluctantly pulled away and picked the baby up. "Shh…we're not ignoring you," she said.

"We were, kind of," Freddie said as he passed behind her to get some plates and Sam hit him.

She took Charlie's pacifier out of the dishwasher and sat down with her on the stool while Freddie set the table. She smiled into Charlie's hair when Freddie put all the bacon on her plate and she transferred two pieces onto his. He grinned at her and they settled down to eat, Sam now having mastered how to eat one handed with Charlie in her lap.

"I have to get ready for work," Sam said when they had finished eating. She put Charlie down in her playpen and went to take a shower, stopping to give Freddie a kiss on the way. She paused in the hallway and turned to look back at Freddie washing the dishes, thinking that she could get used to this. Saturday mornings spent with her baby and with Freddie, it couldn't get more domestic and it would never cease to surprise her how much she loved it.

When she came out forty minutes later, ready to leave, Freddie was on the phone.

"You're kidding, all six movies?" He said. Sam watched amused as he practically bounced in excitement, his back to her. "That's amazing! Why wasn't this advertised?"

His excitement faded at whatever the other person said and his shoulders slumped. "Today? I can't today. I'm…" He looked at Charlie. "I have work stuff. Yeah, I know. Well, you said it's a preview. I guess I'll catch it when they release to the public. Yeah, okay. Thanks, man. Bye."

Freddie sat down heavily on the couch and Sam walked over, leaning into his chest as she sat down beside him.

"Who was that?"

"Just Mark, a friend from school."

"What was that about?"

"Nothing, he was just asking me to do something with him today."

Sam looked at him. "Freddie…"

He sighed. "They've digitally remastered all six Galaxy Wars movies and are releasing it in theaters in 3D. But it won't be for months, they're doing a special marathon preview here in Seattle today and Mark won tickets in some contest."

"Galaxy Wars? God, how many times have you watched that movie?" Sam laughed.

"It's 3D!"

"Then go," she said.

"But…it starts in two hours and I won't be home until like midnight…"

"Yeah yeah, go have your nerd fun."

"What about Charlie?"

"I'll take her to work."

"But you work in the kitchen," he protested.

"So I'll leave her in my office and have someone watch her." Sam shrugged.

"You can do that?"

"I pay them. Waitressing…baby-sitting…what's the difference?"

"But…" Freddie struggled to come up with another reason that Sam's plan wouldn't work.

"Come on, Freddie, you can't tell me you don't want to go. I saw how excited you were. Plus, you've been cooped up here way too long. Go on and have your nerdy day out."

He kissed her. "You're amazing, you know that?"

"I've heard things," Sam smirked.

Freddie kissed her again, his hands tangling in her hair. She clutched his shirt and deepened the kiss before regaining her head and pushing him away.

"I'm going to be late," she said. "And you need to call Mark and tell him you're going."

"Mmm…" He kissed her neck. "Just a few more minutes?"

It took all of Sam's strength to push him away and stand up. Freddie groaned but stood up as well, picking Charlie up from her playpen.

"I guess you're going to work with mama," he said to her, kissing her cheek. "I'll miss you. Be a good girl."

Sam's stomach fluttered. It was the first time she had heard the words 'mama' spoken out loud in reference to her. Of course, she'd been calling herself 'mama' on a daily basis for years, but this was different. She was now actually someone's mother and it occurred to her that Charlie was going to grow up calling her mama if she let her. As she took Charlie from Freddie, she found that she didn't mind. She didn't mind it one bit.

* * *

Sam pushed Charlie's stroller into her office, Jane following behind her.

"Charlie's asleep right now," she said. "I just need you to stay in here with her and call me if she wakes me up."

"Not that I don't mind a break from waiting tables," said Jane, twirling a piece of her long black hair around her finger. "But if I'm in here then I'm not making any tips."

Sam sighed. Jane was a junior at Ridgeway and reminded her far too much of herself. She got by just barely pulling her weight in work and while Sam would have preferred to have Abby or Tom watch her baby, she needed her best wait staff for the lunch rush. She walked over to her computer and logged it out of her personal server, switching it to the guest one.

"You can use my computer to check your Splashface, watch videos or whatever," she told Jane. "Just don't ignore Charlie when she cries."

"Sweet," Jane said, settling down in Sam's chair.

After fussing with Charlie's blanket, Sam made herself leave the office, telling herself that she was only a few feet away. It was odd how protective she felt of Charlie already, it was hard to trust her with just anyone. She wondered if all mother's felt this way, and then thought about her own mom and decided on no. Her mother certainly didn't care who came and went in Sam's life.

She walked into the kitchen, greeted her chefs, and joined Julie in the baking section of the kitchen.

"Hey Jules, need help here?"

"Yeah, sure," Julie looked up at her. "I'm making the cheesecake. Help me measure this stuff out."

Sam did as Julie instructed. She didn't usually like baking, she didn't have the patience for all of the measuring and more often than not she found herself eating the dough or candy ingredients, much to Carly's frustration back when they used to bake together. But Sam felt like being in Julie's company today and she was in such a good mood that the task of measuring and mixing seemed much more fun than she remembered it being.

"Okay, I can't stand it anymore," Julie said. "What is up with you, Sam Puckett?"

"What?"

"You haven't stopped smiling since you walked in here and you're humming. Humming!"

Sam didn't realize that she was but she shrugged it off.

"I'm just happy."

"Don't tell me that date you went on last night actually went well?"

"No, that was a bust. But after the date when I went home…" Sam trailed off, smiling in reminiscence.

Julie's eyes widened. "Freddie?"

Sam nodded.

"Oh my god!" Julie grabbed her shoulders with flour covered hands. "You're together! Are you finally together?"

"Yes," she said, laughing at her friend's exuberance.

"Oh mother of all that is good and holy," Julie spread her arms out wide and tilted her head up to the sky. "Finally!"

Sam smacked her lightly with a cloth. "Stop making a scene, geez."

"You have to tell me everything!"

Sam did, starting with the fight and culminating in her amazing morning with Freddie. Julie barely resisted the urge to squeal at some places in Sam's story.

"So how was it?" Julie asked, nudging her.

"How was what?"

"You know...last night?"

Sam blushed. "We didn't..."

"Oh." Julie looked disappointed. "But you're going to, right?"

"That's kind of private, Jules," she said, looking around and making sure no one was listening.

"Freddie kind of looks like he'd be good in bed. Believe me, nerdy boys can be wild on the inside. There was this one guy I dated in college..."

"Julie!" Sam exclaimed. "We are not talking about this here. Or...ever."

This was the difference between talking with Julie and with Carly. Julie tended to be more crude and normally Sam didn't mind but this was her and Freddie.

Julie laughed at Sam's red face. "Okay, okay, I'll drop it."

Jane burst into the kitchen, out of breath, and Sam immediately dropped what she was doing, her pulse racing in fear.

"She's crying," said Jane.

"Who's crying?" Julie asked but Sam barely heard her, she was out of there and racing to her office, Jane and Julie at her heels.

Charlie was wailing in her stroller and Sam picked her up, rocking her gently.

"Charlie's here?" Julie asked.

"Why did she start crying?" Sam asked Jane.

"I don't know. She just woke up and started crying."

"Did you change her diaper?" Sam cupped Charlie's bottom. It didn't feel wet or heavy and there wasn't a smell.

"You just said to call you if she starts crying," Jane said, looking so unconcerned that Sam could have ripped her face off.

Fortunately, Charlie settled down, her cries stopping as her little hand clutched Sam's shirt.

"You can go," Sam told Jane, who breathed in relief and left the office.

"You left the baby with her?" Julie said.

"She was sleeping. Besides, I couldn't pull away one of the waitresses that are actually useful during the lunch rush."

"Why is Charlie here anyway?"

"Freddie went to a Galaxy Wars marathon."

Julie's face scrunched up. "Aren't those movies, like, a hundred years old?"

"I don't know, they re-released it or something," said Sam. "And don't let Spencer hear you talking about those movies that way. He's just as hopelessly nerdy about it as Freddie."

Julie seemed to think about that. "Do you think he'll notice me if I dress up as the princess slave girl from the movie?"

Sam laughed. "I think he'll have a heart attack."

"You should do it for Freddie too," she said, slyly. "I bet he'll rip it off you."

Sam looked down at Charlie and covered one of her ears. "Boundaries, Jules. Boundaries."

"Oh Sam, you're turning into such a prude," Julie sighed. "Motherhood really is catching up to you."

* * *

Freddie walked into the apartment at past midnight, feeling happier than he could remember being. The marathon was amazing and hanging out with his friends was great but he wasn't ashamed to admit that he was eager to get home. He was surprised at how hard it was to be away from Charlie. Even during the movie, he'd find himself checking his watch at the time that she usually woke up from her nap, and he'd wonder if she'd eaten. There were times when he could barely resist getting up from his seat to call and check on how she was doing. But he knew that if he did Sam would tease him mercilessly about being like his mother.

Sam had left the light on in the kitchen for him and Freddie crept quietly down the hall and into Charlie's room. She was sleeping like an angel and Freddie kissed his fingers and lightly stroked her cheek, not wanting to wake her.

His next stop was Sam's room and he paused outside of her door, wondering what the protocol now was. She slept with him last night but did that mean they were now sleeping together...in the literal sense? What if she was asleep? Did he join her or go back to the couch? Freddie didn't want to sleep by himself again but he didn't want to overstep any boundaries and push Sam for too much, too soon. He stood there for several minutes, debating in his head, and finally decided to just let Sam know that he was home and go back to the couch, like the gentleman he was raised to be.

Sam was asleep and Freddie couldn't help but notice that she looked a lot like Charlie when she was sleeping and it made him smile. He sat on the edge of the bed and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Sam," he said softly.

She moved and turned her head but didn't wake.

"Fried chicken," he said, a little louder.

Sam's eyes opened."What...chicken where?"

Freddie chuckled. "It's me, Sam. I just wanted to let you know that I'm home."

"Mmm..." She said blearily. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, it was amazing." He leaned down and kissed her.

"Go back to sleep, I just wanted to say goodnight."

She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him back when he started to get up. "Where are you going?"

"To...the living room," he said hesitantly.

Sam let go of him and he saw the disappointment in her sleepy and tired eyes.

"I wasn't sure...I didn't know if you'd want me to stay."

"I want you to stay," she said simply.

Freddie smiled. "Okay."

He bent down to take his shoes and socks off and then moved to get under the covers.

"Freddie?"

"Yeah."

"You're still dressed."

He blushed. "Oh. I didn't...I, uh..."

Sam sat up, fully awake now.

"Oh, stop being such a dimwit," she said. "Just take some clothes off. You can't possibly be comfortable in your jeans."

He wasn't going to argue with that so he stood up and took off his polo shirt and pants, climbing back into bed in just his undershirt and boxers.

"Better?" Sam asked, a twinkle in her eye and her hand slipping beneath his shirt and up his chest.

Freddie nodded dumbly.

She kissed his nose, the side of his lip, his cheek, trailing down to his ear. She laid her head down on his pillow and Freddie turned on his side to face her, his hand coming to rest on her hip.

"So, I was thinking," Sam said. "It seems silly to search for a three bedroom apartment when Charlie's bedroom is all painted and decorated."

"It does?"

"We'll have to re-paint her room and then ask Spencer to paint her new room. Plus, we'll have to pay more for a bigger place..."

"What are you saying, Sam?" Freddie asked, his heart already leaping high with hope.

"I think we should stay here," said Sam, looking down and tugging at the bottom of his shirt. "And I think you should move in here to this room...with me."

He was flabbergasted. He had been hoping that she would say that but he didn't actually expect her to say it. Freddie's shock froze his brain and prevented him from speaking.

Sam seemed to mistake his silence. "Unless you don't want to," she said softly, rolling onto her back.

Freddie held her by the waist and pulled her back to him, kissing her fiercely and with all the passion he had in him.

"I want to," he said against her lips. "God I want to."

Sam smiled and resumed kissing him, her hands tangling in his hair, and pulling him on top of her. He trailed kisses down her neck, his hands tracing the curve of her hips down to her thighs. She tugged on his shirt, frantically pulling it up and Freddie broke away from her to slip it over his head and carelessly throw it to the floor. He looked down at Sam beneath him, her chest rising up and down as she took heavy breaths, her wild blonde curls spread out over the pillow. She was so achingly beautiful and she was finally finally his. Sam ran her hands down his chest, tracing every curve and muscle and Freddie was grateful for the fencing that he still did. She looked up at him shyly.

"I haven't...before..." She admitted.

He brushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear. "I haven't either," he said.

She breathed out and smiled up at him.

"We don't have to...you know. Not right now," he said even though his body protested every word. Sam pulled him down to rest his weight on her, and he groaned as his very prominent erection met her center.

"I want to," Sam assured him, grinding her hips against him. "Make love to me, Freddie."

He kissed her, ready to do just that, his hands lifting up his old Penny Tee that Sam was wearing. He hadn't pushed it halfway up her body when Charlie's cry pierced the air around them, the sound bursting through the monitor on the nightstand. Freddie dropped his head down to her neck and groaned.

"She needs a diaper change," Sam sighed, gently pushing him off her and he rolled onto his back.

He watched as she stood up from the bed, getting a glimpse of her small black cotton panties before she tugged the shirt down. It did not help his situation down below any. Normally, Freddie would offer to tend to the baby but at the moment he thought it best to stay where he was. He could hear Sam in the other room through the monitor, talking to Charlie and trying to soothe her though he couldn't understand what she was saying over Charlie's crying. Several minutes passed and Freddie's 'situation' settled down but Charlie's crying didn't stop. Sam should be done changing her diaper by now and he could hear her singing, which usually soothed Charlie to sleep. He sat up, worried that the colic might be making a reappearance.

He was about to get out of bed when Sam walked in with Charlie, who was still crying.

"She has a big red rash on her butt," said Sam, worry etched all over her face. "It probably itches, that's why she won't stop crying."

"My mom has diaper rash ointment," Freddie said.

Sam gave him a weird look.

"Not for me!" He exclaimed. "It's just an emergency stash for when she has to baby-sit any of my cousins."

"You sound defensive there, Fredward," Sam smirked. Charlie wailed louder. "I know, I know, baby," Sam said, kissing her head.

"I'll get it in the morning," Freddie said.

Sam looked down at Charlie. "What if it burns?" She asked worriedly. "Sometimes those rashes burn, right?"

"Or I can get it now."

Sam's head snapped up to look at him. "It's one am, Freddie. You can't walk to Bushwell."

"It's two blocks away."

"I'll go."

Freddie shook his head. "It'll take you longer because you don't know where the ointment is and what it looks like. Plus, you'll probably wake my mom."

He got up and pulled his pants on. Sam looked like she wanted to protest more but was stopped by Charlie's insistent crying. Freddie put his shirt on and buttoned it up.

"Take the baseball bat in the front closet," Sam told him. "And be careful."

He kissed her and then kissed the top of Charlie's head. "I'll be right back."

Freddie walked the two blocks to Bushwell Plaza without incident. But for all his bravado with Sam, he actually was a bit nervous and gripped the baseball bat tightly in his right hand and walked quickly. He got to his mom's apartment and opened the door with his key but the chain lock was in place, which meant he had no choice but to knock and wake his mom. Maybe Sam should have been the one to come over after all, she would have gotten in with no problem.

"Mom!" He called as he rapped on the door. "Mom!"

The light in the living room came on.

"Freddie? Is that you?"

"Yeah, mom, it's me."

The door closed and then opened a second later. His mom was in her bathrobe and rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"What is it, Freddie?" She grabbed his face and inspected him. "Are you alright?"

She caught sight of his baseball bat and gasped. "Did you walk here? At this hour?"

"Yeah, but mom, I'm fine," he said, knowing that she could start in on a lecture that will last until the sun rises if he doesn't head her off. "It's Charlie."

"What is it? What's wrong? Do I need to call Doctor Evans? Or take her to the hospital? Let me get dressed..."

Freddie grabbed her arm to keep her in place, he didn't think he's ever loved her more than in this moment as he sees the very real and frantic worry for Charlie on her face.

"No, it's okay, mom. It's not a big deal," he assured her. "She just has a diaper rash and she's crying a lot so it must be uncomfortable."

"Oh. Well, I have ointment and a really nice soothing lotion for your hands that you and Sam should use when you change her. I don't know why I didn't think to give it to you before..."

Freddie followed her into the bathroom and watched as she rifled through the cabinet.

"Sorry to wake you, mom," he said.

"Nonsense. You know you can come to me anytime." She turned to him with several boxes of ointment and cream in her hands. "Alright, what does the rash look like?"

Freddie looked at the pile of creams warily. "I don't know, I didn't see it. Sam said it was big and red and on her butt."

His mom looked at him in exasperation. "What's the shape? Does it have bumps or lesions?"

"I don't know."

"And you didn't notice it before tonight?"

"No."

"Well, I'll have to come with you then. Let me just put these in a bag and I'll get dressed."

Freddie's eyes widened. "Come with me? I don't think that's really necessary, I'll just take all of that to Sam..."

"And how will you know which cream will be the most effective? What if she has a reaction to one of them? A baby's skin is very sensitive, Fredward," she told him sternly. "It's better that I see it for myself."

Freddie knew that there was no winning this argument and he resigned himself to the fact that there was now absolutely no chance that he and Sam would be resuming their previous activities tonight. He watched as his mom placed various things in the bag and flash of green caught his eye. He immediately reached into the bag and pulled the offending green bar of soap out. The same bar of soap that had haunted his pre-pubescent nightmares.

"Mom! You are not giving Charlie a tick bath!"

"But Freddie!" She protested.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Sam sat with Charlie in the rocking chair, rocking her and singing to her but all Charlie did was squirm and cry. She considered taking the diaper off her, thinking that it might be chafing but decided that the danger to her own self was too great. The last thing she needed was for Freddie to see or smell her covered in baby pee. That was definitely not sexy. Thinking of Freddie, it was taking him longer to get back than she expected. She wondered if something had happened to him and the worry made her nervous and edgy, which made Charlie cry harder. Sam stood up and jiggled her around, cursing Freddie and at the same time praying that he was alright. She thought she could maybe understand Marissa's craziness now, the thought of anything happening to Freddie or Charlie filled Sam with more fear than she ever felt facing down cops or dangerous thugs.

Just as she thought that, she heard the front door open and Marissa's unmistakeable high pitched voice. It was like she was summoned, an unwanted magic genie.

Sam looked down at Charlie. "I think that was my fault."

Freddie came in to the room with his mom following behind him. He looked at Sam apologetically.

"I have ointments and creams," said Marissa briskly, placing her bag on the changing table. "I need to figure out what type of rash it is and see if it's likely to spread. Let me see it."

Sam gingerly handed over Charlie, who cried harder with Marissa but that didn't phase the older woman; she was used to prying screaming infants from their mother's arms at the hospital. Marissa brought Charlie to the changing table and Sam pulled Freddie into the hallway.

"Why did you bring her here?" She demanded.

"I had to wake her up to get into the apartment and when I told her about Charlie's rash I couldn't talk her out of coming."

Sam opened her mouth to say something but stopped when Charlie's wails turned into little whimpers. They walked back into the room to see Marissa gently spreading cream on Charlie's rash with a cotton earbud.

"There you go, isn't that better?" She said gently to the baby.

"Is she okay?" Sam asked.

"She's just fine," Marissa assured her. "It's a simple irritation, that's all. Not yeast or bacteria like I feared. I'll need a soft cloth, Sam. We'll use that in place of her diaper tonight, it'll be more comfortable for her. Though a bit more messy for you, I'm afraid."

"That's okay," Sam said quickly, handing her one of Charlie's clean burping cloths.

Marissa took out some safety pins from her purse and expertly turned the cloth into a diaper.

"I had Freddie wear these all the time," she told Sam. "Cloth lets more air in than diapers do and they kept his little baby bottom nice and soft."

"Mom!" Freddie protested, his face heating up while Sam burst out laughing.

"I'm going to...kitchen," Freddie mumbled and darted out of the room.

Charlie cried again and Sam sobered up and took her, rocking her and whispered soothingly to her until she calmed down and her cries turned into whimpers. Despite the relief from the ointment, Charlie was still in a fussy mood and Sam knew there would be no putting her down to sleep for hours.

"You're very good with her," Marissa observed as she watched the two of them. Sam suddenly became aware that she was wearing Freddie's shirt and not much else. She thought of the events of earlier that evening, how she had completely ignored what Marissa had told her during their talk a few days ago, and found herself unable to meet Marissa's eye.

"Freddie's better, I think," she said. "I always feel like I'm screwing something up."

"Want to know a secret?" Marissa asked conspiratorially and Sam reluctantly looked at her.

"Every new mother feels that way." Marissa smiled kindly at her. "You're doing very well."

"Thanks," Sam said shyly, pressing her nose into Charlie's hair.

"I take it that you and Freddie are..." Marissa trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

"Yeah, but I did listen to what you had to say. I just..." Sam shrugged helplessly.

"You love him," Marissa finished.

Sam nodded, holding Charlie closer.

"Well, I guess I can't argue against that," Marissa said, looking resigned. "Just...be good to him, Sam. Even in your own way."

She smiled. "I will."

"I'll give you this ointment," Marissa said, holding it up. "And I noticed that Charlie's diaper seemed a little tight. You'll want to buy a bigger size, she needs a little breathing room, but not so big that everything comes running out. I think you should try the hypoallergenic diapers, the ones for sensitive skin, and see if that's better."

Sam nodded, taking a mental note of everything she was saying.

"And when that cloth gets soiled, rinse it with half a cup of vinegar when you wash it."

"Vinegar?"

"It gets rid of alkaline irritants."

"Okay..."

"Well, I should go." She leaned in and kissed Charlie's forehead.

"Thank you for coming here, Mrs. B," said Sam, feeling genuinely grateful. "Sorry that we bothered you."

"Oh please. Like I told Freddie, you can come to me anytime."

"Thank you," Sam said again.

They went out to the kitchen, where Freddie was sitting at the counter drinking tea.

"Do you want some tea, mom?" He asked.

"No, that's alright. I should get home, I have a late morning shift at the hospital."

"I'll walk you back," Freddie offered.

"Absolutely not," she said. "It's bad enough that you were out on the streets twice tonight, Freddie. I won't have you out there again."

"Mom, I don't want you walking back by yourself."

"I can take care of myself, Fredward."

"And yet you don't seem to think the same of me," he argued.

Charlie began crying and Sam shot them both a glare.

"You guys are upsetting her."

Marissa looked shamed. "You're right, we shouldn't argue in front of the baby."

"Why don't you just stay here, mom?" Freddie reasoned.

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "You can sleep on the sofa bed."

Marissa looked warily at the crying baby. "It's a nice offer but I really do need to sleep."

Sam got her point. "Well, Freddie, you've gotta let her go."

"But-" He tried to protest.

"Give her the baseball bat. I've seen her handle a sword, I feel bad for any mugger out there that tries to cross her path."

Marissa smiled, looking pleased at the compliment. "Thank you, Samantha."

"Fine," Freddie grumbled. "I've been outnumbered."

"Get used to it, Fredly," Sam grinned.

"Just call me as soon as you get home," he told his mom as he walked her to the door.

Charlie kept crying and Sam rubbed her back, whispering and murmuring to her.

"I don't think she's going back to sleep anytime soon," she said when Freddie came back over.

"Good thing tomorrow - or today - is a Sunday," he replied.

"Speak for yourself. I have to go out with Carly," Sam grumbled. It was their monthly girl's day and normally Sam would be looking forward to spending quality time with Carly but a day of girly activities with next to no sleep was not going to be her cup of tea.

"Here, let me take her for a bit." He reached for Charlie and Sam handed her over. She leaned back on the counter and watched Freddie rock her, having as much success in stopping her crying as she did; which is to say, none.

They took turns holding and rocking her for the next hour. When she finally settled into whimpers they tried putting her in her crib, which was a mistake because it only started the crying all over again. When it was near dawn, both Sam and Freddie were so tired and sleepy that they lay down in Sam's bed with Charlie in between them. Her cries turned to whimpers until finally, mercifully, she fell asleep.

Neither of them dared move her, in case she woke up, and Sam and Freddie stared at each other from across their pillows.

"This is how it's going to be," Sam said softly. "We're not going to have much time to ourselves."

"I know."

She laughed, rolling onto her back and throwing an arm over her eyes. "Who would have thought that I'd end up with a baby?"

Freddie smiled. "I wouldn't have guessed it."

"It changes you, you know? Nothing's been the same since Charlie got here."

"I know," Freddie said. "She's changed me too."

Sam turned back to him. "Don't you want a normal life, Freddie?" She sighed. "You could finish college, get a job, marry a girl and then have a baby. You know, the way it was written in your Freddie Benson Ten Year Plan. The way that it's supposed to be. You don't have to get dragged into my family baggage."

Freddie sat up. "Sam," he said so angrily that she looked up at him and the blaze in his eyes made her sit up as well. "Stop trying to get out of this. I'm here and I love you. I decided a long time ago that I don't want any of that if it doesn't include you."

"You did?" Sam asked quietly.

"Yeah. And if Charlie is your baby then she's mine too. I don't care if it's not the normal path most people take. Screw being normal, that's what I should have said that night in the elevator. Your baggage is my baggage because I..." He cupped her face in both hands and kissed her. "Love..." He kissed her again. "You." And again.

Sam twined her fingers in his hair, pulling him as close as she could without jostling the baby between them. After a few minutes they broke away, both panting for breath and making the silent agreement to stop before they got carried away. They lay back down, being careful not to disturb Charlie. She was sleeping soundly, her chest moving up and down with her little breaths and Sam gently brushed her hair back from her forehead.

"She's so beautiful," Sam said.

"She is," Freddie agreed.

"I didn't think it was possible to love anyone this much and in this way. I used to live to survive, you know? I had to look out for myself. But now..." Sam grasped one of Charlie's hands, not taking her eyes off her during her whole speech. "Now I don't care what happens to me as long as she's okay. She's my first priority and if we're going to be together," Sam looked up at Freddie. "Then she has to be yours too."

"She is," he assured her. "Sam, the way you feel about Charlie, I feel it too. I love her so much."

"You have to promise me, Freddie," Sam said. "Promise me that you'll always be there for Charlie. I won't let her go through what me and Mel did when my dad left. I won't. If you're going to be in her life then you have to always be there, no matter what happens between us."

He placed his hand over hers where it was resting on Charlie's chest. "I promise," he said. "And I'm always going to be here for both of you, Sam. Always."

Sam lifted their hands and kissed his palm, the sincerity and pure love in his eyes eased her doubts and fears and filled her with warmth and happiness. Freddie had stuck by her for nearly a decade now, maybe it wasn't so crazy to believe that he'd be around for many more.

* * *

"Alright," Carly said, walking into her room with a tray of food. "I've got cookie dough ice cream, popcorn, two extra large ham sandwiches, and Spencer is going to bring the pizza up when it gets here."

"Excellent." Sam sat up on Carly's bed and rubbed her hands eagerly as Carly carefully laid down the tray and took her place beside Sam.

"Did you put the movie in?"

"Yep." Sam picked up the remote and pressed play. After much arguing and debate, Carly wanted to watch a romantic comedy and Sam wanted to watch a horror movie, they had settled on a comedy.

Sam leaned back on the pillows and yawned. She hoped Carly wouldn't take offense if she fell asleep halfway through the movie.

Carly glanced at her. "You okay, Sam?"

"Yeah, just tired. Charlie kept me awake last night."

"Oh no, is the colic back?" Carly asked in concern.

"No, she had a diaper rash and she kept crying," said Sam. "Freddie even brought his mom over with her barrage of creams and ointments."

Carly laughed. "Sounds like you had a busy night."

_You don't know the half of it_, Sam thought.

She took a bite of her ham sandwich and wondered how she should broach the subject of her and Freddie. Somehow it was harder to tell Carly than Julie. Julie didn't know every little detail of her history with Freddie and she didn't have a front row seat to their attempt at a relationship three years ago. Telling Carly that they're back together makes it completely, one hundred percent official.

"Um, Carls?"

"Yeah?" She asked, taking a handful of popcorn.

"Freddie and I are sort of...together now," Sam said, watching her friend carefully.

The popcorn that was aimed for Carly's mouth fell onto her lap, she turned to face Sam completely.

"Oh my god! Finally!" She grabbed Sam's arm and shook it. "When? How? Details! Tell me everything!"

"Okay, okay. But you have to calm down first, Carls. Geez," Sam laughed.

"I'm just glad you two have finally come to your senses," Carly said. "How did it happen?"

Sam told her the entire story, the movie volume having been turned way down and now completely ignored. Sam ended the story by saying that she and Freddie were now living together and not in the roommates sense and Carly pounced on the subject.

"So are you guys...you know..." She asked.

Sam rolled her eyes. "What is it with you and Julie wanting to know about my sex life?"

Carly's eyes widened. "So you do have a sex life! You and Freddie have-"

Sam hit her arm lightly with a pillow. "No! We haven't."

"Sam?" Carly said, sounding shy. "Remember that pact we made in senior year?"

"That neither of us would marry Andrew Garfield because it would turn into the Shane thing all over again?"

"No! The serious one," said Carly in exasperation. "Remember we said that we'd tell each other when we think we're ready to...you know...and we'd go with each other to the doctor..."

"Oh." Sam realized that was a good idea considering what she and Freddie had almost done the night before. "Wait, does this mean you're also ready? With Ian?"

Carly blushed. "I think so. I love him and he's not like the other guys I've dated before..."

"At least you don't have a baby around to interrupt you," Sam said. "You guys can do it whenever you want."

"Not whenever we want," Carly interjected. "We do have roommates."

"You can tell your roommates to get out, hang a sock on the door or whatever. I love Charlie to death but she's a real mood killer."

Carly looked at her sympathetically. "I didn't even think of that. That must be tough."

"No kidding. We almost did last night but then Charlie started crying and then we had her between us in bed all night. Ugh," Sam groaned, falling back dramatically against the pillows. "We haven't even had sex yet and we already have baby problems."

"A baby is keeping you from having sex but sex is usually needed to make a baby," Carly giggled. "It's like you got an egg without a chicken."

Sam stared at her. "I swear sometimes it's like talking to Spencer."

Carly threw popcorn at her and Sam happily caught a few in her mouth.

"What you guys need is a night to yourselves, without Charlie," Carly said.

"Yeah, like that's going to happen. And where exactly would we leave her for a night?"

"How about with me?"

Sam sat up, brushing popcorn out of her hair. "You would do that?"

"Yeah. What are best friends for? Plus, I'm kind of Charlie's aunt, it'd be nice to spend time with her."

"You are Charlie's aunt," Sam said seriously.

Carly smiled happily. "Why don't you and Freddie get out of the apartment? Forget about being parents for one night, go book a nice hotel room and I can stay over at your place."

Sam looked at her gratefully. "That'd be great, Carls. Thank you."

"But first, a trip to the lady doctor," she said. "I don't think you want another Charlie right away."

Sam made a face. "Definitely not. One baby is enough right now. And you don't want a little rugrat of your own either."

"Is it really that bad?" Carly asked.

"Yes," said Sam seriously and then she smiled. "But at the same time it's also really really amazing."

* * *

**A/N: I want to thank you all for the reviews, the previous chapter had the most yet. :) Also, follow me on Twitter: heartlines12. I'm quite lonely there, keep me company and we can chat about the story if you'd like. Or I could post little previews once in awhile since I'm aware it takes me quite awhile to post chapters. Well, that's enough self-promotion for now. Hope you enjoyed the story!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I am really really sorry for the long wait! But I worked super hard on this chapter and at over 13,000 words, it's the longest one yet. So I hope that makes it up to you guys. And as promised, this chapter does earn the story's M rating with a lemon near the end. Hope you guys enjoy and let me know what you think. :D**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

Sam felt antsy and nervous. She stared at the pictures she had printed from her laptop and the reservation confirmation beside it. She and Carly agreed on a date when she was free to come over, Sam had booked the hotel room, and now all that was left was to tell Freddie.

It had been two weeks since Carly had offered her services as overnight baby-sitter so that Sam and Freddie could get some alone time. In that time, it had become increasingly clear just how much they needed it. Charlie was now three months old and seemed to take a new turn in fussiness. She spent most of the night crying and screaming and only seemed to calm down in Sam and Freddie's presence. They didn't know what had brought it on since Charlie had mostly settled down since her bout of colic. Sam had spent most of Charlie's three month party with Marissa, who reassured her that it was completely normal for infants to be fussy and for their sleeping patterns to change in the first few months. Normal or not, Charlie was severely cutting into Sam's time with Freddie. The baby seemed to have a sixth sense for when things were getting particularly heated and would choose that moment to interrupt. As much as Sam loved Charlie, she was starting to get really frustrated and she knew that Freddie was too, though he would never say it.

Charlie was sleeping soundly in her crib while Sam sorted through her clothes in the dresser, packing away the onesies and shirts that were already too small, as well as the toys that Charlie didn't want. Babies grew really fast, it seemed like Sam had to make a shopping trip every couple of weeks. Freddie had offered to help her but she had pushed him out the door, knowing that he needed to spend some time with his friends. She wasn't completely unobservant, Sam knew spending everyday in a small apartment with a baby could get tiring and lonely even for the most patient and sweetest of people, like Freddie. It was just like back in high school when she, Carly, and Freddie spent all their time together. Freddie hardly ever complained about all the girly things she and Carly did, but he did leave them to hang with his nerd buddies once in awhile. Even if they were together now, or maybe especially because they were together now, Sam figured she could give the guy every other weekend or so to get away from baby duties.

She folded up the papers and tucked them into her back pocket and proceeded to tape up the box with Charlie's clothes and toys. She'd thought about giving them away but felt an unexpected sentimental pang in her heart. These were Charlie's first clothes, some of them Sam had bought and some were presents from her friends at the baby shower. She thought that maybe she could show them to Charlie one day when she's older or maybe even use them again if Charlie ever has any sisters...

Sam shook her head. She couldn't believe she'd just thought that. A year ago she wouldn't have been able to fathom having any children at all, it wasn't in her plans, not something she'd ever thought about except in silly little girly daydreams that she knew would never happen. Now, she not only had a child but she was thinking about more? This whole motherhood thing was really getting to her head.

"Do you want me to bring that down to the basement?"

Sam jumped, landing on her butt as she crouched next to box.

She looked up to see Freddie standing in the doorway and felt her face heat up at the thoughts that she was thinking, like he could somehow read her mind.

"Are you okay, Sam?" He asked, moving towards her and offering a hand up.

"What were you doing sneaking up on me like that?" She demanded.

Freddie looked taken aback at her anger. "I didn't mean to startle you. I was just trying to be quiet because I knew Charlie would still be napping."

Sam pushed him into the hallway, still feeling dazed and uncomfortably like she'd been caught red handed.

"What are you doing home so early?" She asked.

Freddie looked at her strangely. "It's five o' clock, Sam. I told you I'd be home before dinner."

"Oh."

"Hey..." He put his hands on her hips and pulled her against him as he leaned against the wall. "What is it?" He asked gently.

She couldn't meet his eye. "Nothing. You know I don't like being surprised. I'm going to start dinner."

She moved away but Freddie simply pulled her back.

"Hey," he said so softly and gently that Sam couldn't help but look into his eyes. As soon as she did she was lost in those chocolate brown depths. He bent his head and kissed her, his fingers grazing her cheek lightly. Sam pushed her fingers through his hair and deepened the kiss, her tongue seeking entrance into his mouth. All thoughts left her head, there was nothing but this. Her body pressed up against Freddie's, pushing him back onto the wall, the soft strands of his hair between her fingers, his hot, sweet kisses...

She moaned into his mouth and Freddie gripped her hips tighter, his fingers slipping beneath her shirt and gripping her bare skin. Sam couldn't get enough him, it was like her flesh was crawling, itching to get as close as possible. And she could feel that he wanted her too. She could feel it so well that she knew he must be getting uncomfortable. Sam untangled her hands from his hair, moving them down his chest with the intention of giving him some relief. Her hands reached the top button of his pants when the crying came.

Sam pulled away, taking in big gasps of air. Freddie dropped his head down onto her shoulder.

"She must have some sort of radar," he grumbled, his warm breath hitting her neck and not helping the situation any.

Sam took a few minutes to catch her breath and to wait for the dizziness to stop. Charlie screamed louder, probably wondering where her parents were and why they didn't come running as usual, ready to attend to her every need. Sam finally felt like she had a grip on herself and reluctantly pulled away from Freddie, making her way into Charlie's room.

She picked up her crying baby. "You're hungry, aren't you?" She cooed, rubbing Charlie's back.

"Get her bottle ready!" Sam called.

"Hold on," Freddie said, his voice sounding strained. "Give me a minute."

Sam giggled into Charlie's hair and walked out to find Freddie still leaning against the wall, his head tilted back and his eyes closed. Charlie saw him and began crying louder.

"Hey, I think she wants you," Sam said as the baby squirmed in her arms.

Freddie breathed out slowly and opened his eyes. "I'm okay now."

He took Charlie, who whimpered into his chest once she was safely ensconced in his arms.

"I'll get her bottle," Sam said.

Freddie followed her into the kitchen and rocked Charlie while Sam prepared the bottle.

"I don't feel like cooking," she said. "You want Chinese?"

"Yeah, sounds good."

Sam handed him the bottle and picked up the phone to order. She watched as Freddie fed Charlie, it was a sight that she could never get tired of. She finished ordering, it didn't take long since she'd been ordering from the same Chinese restaurant since high school and they knew her so well that all she had to say was that she wanted the "Sam Puckett", which was basically two of nearly every pork, beef, and chicken entree on the menu.

She put down the phone and just watched Freddie and Charlie. The papers felt like they were burning in her back pocket, so aware she was of them. She was anxious and excited, and wondering what Freddie's reaction would be to her plans.

Freddie looked up at her. "You're quiet," he said. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Sam said quickly, too quickly.

He frowned and moved towards her but was hindered from touching her by Charlie in his arms.

"Seriously, Sam, what is it?"

_Our best friend is going to come over next weekend so that we can go away and I can jump your bones._

See, that's easy. But Sam felt tongue tied just looking at him and the butterflies in her stomach were multiplying. The longer she was silent, the more worried Freddie looked.

He smiled nervously as Charlie sucked away at her bottle, oblivious to the growing tension in the room. "You're freaking me out here, Sam."

She opened her mouth but no words came out. Fortunately she was saved from standing there looking like an open mouthed idiot by the buzzer sounding. Sam moved quickly to the buzzer to buzz the Chinese delivery guy up. It also gave her an excuse to stay in the living room to wait for him. She could feel Freddie's eyes on her as she sat on the couch but she knew that he couldn't confront her as long as he had Charlie in his arms.

Sam pulled out the papers and twisted them in her hands. Why was she so nervous? It's not like he wouldn't want to. They've come so close too many times to count in the past two weeks. If it weren't for Charlie interrupting them they would have done it already. She had no reason to be nervous. That's what she kept telling herself until the knock on the door came.

She shot up and stuffed the papers back in her pocket, opening the door and pulling out the money to pay the delivery guy. There two large brown paper bags full of containers and Sam carried them into the kitchen. Charlie had finished eating and Freddie had her over his shoulder, rubbing her back in circles. Her eyes were closing sleepily and Sam knew she would be down soon. She and Freddie would have a couple of hours of alone time before Charlie needed a diaper change.

Freddie watched her unpack the containers, Sam knew that he was biding his time until the baby fell asleep. When he left to go into Charlie's room, she breathed out and took out the papers, unfolding them and smoothing them out and placing them on Freddie's usual spot at the counter. She picked up some chopsticks and a box of noodles and sat on her stool, trying to look casual as Freddie walked back into the kitchen baby-less.

"Okay, what's going on?" He asked.

"I'm eating, Freddifer," Sam said over a mouthful of noodles.

He grabbed chopsticks and a container and walked around the counter, stopping when he saw the papers.

"What's this?" He picked it up.

Sam bit her chopstick nervously as he looked through it. His eyebrows rose up when he saw the printout of the hotel reservations.

"Carly had this idea that maybe we should get away and have a night to ourselves," she said.

"But what about Charlie?"

"Carly will come over here and take care of her."

"Oh."

He stared at the pictures of the hotel and he was quiet for so long that Sam felt her stomach flip over, worried that he didn't want this after all.

"It was just an idea," she muttered, pulling a container of sweet and sour chicken towards her. "We don't have to go if you don't want to."

Freddie looked at her. "Are you crazy? Of course I want to. I just...I thought...Aw chiz."

He leaned over and kissed her, erasing any doubt in her mind that he didn't want her as much as she wanted him.

"You were so quiet, I thought you were going to break up with me or something," he said, pressing his forehead to hers.

Sam looked at his lips, his soft soft lips that she wasn't done kissing yet. "Now who's crazy?" She said and closed the small distance between them.

They did eat dinner. Eventually.

* * *

Freddie watched in amusement as Sam made her fifth pass around the apartment, making sure that all of Charlie's things were organized and in proper view for Carly to see. He held the baby and looked down at the five pages of instructions that Sam wrote for Carly. To say that Sam was going overboard in preparations for leaving Charlie for one night was putting it lightly. She almost reminded Freddie of his mother, a thought that he's keeping to himself for fear of getting his balls cut off. He would need them later tonight, thank you very much. If he ever managed to get Sam out of the apartment, that is.

She walked over to him, kissed Charlie's cheek and gently stroked her hair back.

"Everything's going to be fine, Sam," he assured her.

"I didn't know it would be this hard to leave her," she said, pressing her face into Charlie's hair. "What if she needs us? What if she can't sleep? I love Carly but she's never really taken care of a baby before..."

"We'll only be a phone call away," Freddie said. "I'm sure Carly can handle it."

Charlie squirmed in his arms as Sam pulled away, letting out a disgruntled cry, obviously searching for her mother. Sam immediately took her and cuddled her close.

Freddie looked at them, feeling his heart swell with overwhelming love for the both of them. It wasn't that he didn't share Sam's concerns or that he was any less anxious about leaving Charlie for the first time...his teenage boy hormones were just overriding everything else. In his defense, his teenage boy hormones were very very frustrated. They haven't had any relief in three years. Sure, he's dated some girls after his break-up with Sam, he even had a girlfriend very briefly last year. But none of them lasted long enough or were serious enough for him to go past first base with. Freddie was aware that this fact was vaguely pathetic and that if he had any friends who weren't just as nerdy and even more socially awkward than he was then he'd be teased mercilessly. As it was, Freddie was considered the "stud" of his group at school, with his fairly normal and almost athletic appearance (they counted fencing as a sport), his two best friends being extremely hot girls, and because he managed to score dates with normal, good looking girls at least twice a year. But his hormones would just have to take a backseat because Sam and Charlie came first. Always.

"We don't have to go," Freddie said. "If it makes you uncomfortable then we can stay here."

Sam raised her eyes, her cheek pressed against Charlie's head. "No...I want to. I just...Dammit," she said in frustration.

A knock came at the door and they knew it was Carly.

"Get that, will you?" Sam asked. "I'm going to make sure I marked the page on the story we're reading."

Freddie watched her disappear into Charlie's room, not telling her that he saw her mark the page half an hour ago. He went to open the door.

"Hi!" Carly said brightly.

"Hi, Carls," Freddie said, taking her duffel bag from her and placing it on the love seat. "Thanks, uh...Thanks for doing this." He found it hard to look her in the eye. He was essentially thanking her for taking care of the baby so that he could have sex with Sam.

Carly smiled at his discomfort. "No problem. I'm always here to help my best friends. Where's Sam?"

"In Charlie's room. You're going to have to pry the baby out of her arms," he warned her.

"Separation anxiety?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Freddie said.

Carly walked towards the baby's room and he followed behind. Sam was in the rocking chair with Charlie.

"Okay, I'm here, ready to do my baby-sitting duties," Carly announced. "Are you all packed?"

"Yeah," Sam answered, holding Charlie closer if that was possible. She looked like Carly was there to take all of her bacon away.

Carly looked at him and he raised an eyebrow. She cocked her head in the direction of the door and he sighed and walked out. He went into his and Sam's bedroom and picked up his duffel bag and Sam's small suitcase and took them out into the living room. He didn't know how Carly was going to tear Sam away from the baby but he hoped she did it soon. The hotel wasn't far, it was right in the heart of downtown Seattle, but he was hoping they could have a nice dinner in the hotel restaurant before...well, before. He heard the door to Charlie's room shut and knew that was the signal for girl talk. Freddie sat down and turned on the TV, resigned to waiting however long it took for Sam and Carly to emerge.

* * *

Carly looked at her best friend, who was rocking in the chair and talking softly to Charlie, placing kisses on her cheek and on her head.

"Sam..." Carly said. "I think you and Freddie need to get going."

Sam looked up. "If she gets sick or anything, you should call Freddie's mom. And the number of her doctor-"

"Is on the fridge, I know," Carly finished.

"I made a list, it's in the kitchen, on how to tell what she needs from her cry. And her feeding schedule, and the temperature her milk needs to be. Did you know that milk of a certain temperature settles better in a baby's stomach at night? Mrs. Benson told me. The thermometer is in the kitchen, I should show you. And use the hypoallergenic diapers, the ones with the green packaging. We still had some of her old ones when we bought the new ones. Maybe I should have thrown out the old ones..."

"Sam!" Carly cut in to her rapid paced rambling. "It's just one night. Charlie and I will be just fine. And no offense but you sound like Mrs. Benson. Next you'll be telling me how to give Charlie a tick bath," she laughed.

Sam looked down at Charlie. "Do you think babies can get ticks? Or bed bugs...I should make Freddie clean her mattress...

"Sam!" Carly exclaimed. This was more dire than she thought. She closed the door and kneeled in front of Sam, gently taking the baby from her arms.

"It's alright, Sam," she soothed when Sam protested. "I'm just going to put her in her crib so that you and I can talk."

She succeeded in taking Charlie, laid the baby down in her crib and gently nudged the mobile above so that it turned slowly.

"Okay," Carly said. "What's really going on? Do you not want to go anymore?"

"No, I do," Sam protested. "I just...I'm nervous."

"Oh, Sam." Carly smiled. "I'm sure it'll be just fine. It's Freddie."

"Yeah," Sam said, letting out a breath. "Just Freddie."

"You've been taking the pill everyday, right?"

"Yeah."

"And you know you still have to use a condom because the pill doesn't take full effect for a month?"

"Yes, mom." Sam rolled her eyes. She stood up. "I guess we should go."

Carly couldn't contain herself anymore and reached out and hugged Sam hard. "We're all growing up," she said, tears springing to her eyes.

"We're not dying, Carls," Sam laughed but hugged her back.

Carly squeezed her once more and pulled away. "Okay, it's time to go."

"Yeah," Sam smiled shakily. She picked up Charlie from her crib. "Freddie will want to say goodbye to her," she explained when Carly frowned.

They left the room and found Freddie in the living room, the bags already sitting beside the door.

"Ready?" He asked when he saw Sam.

"Yeah, just thought you'd want to say bye to Charlie here."

Freddie stood up and took Charlie, holding her close. Carly watched as both of her friends showered the baby with kisses and sweet baby talk. It was a sight that she never could have imagined five years ago and yet it looked so right.

Several minutes passed and neither Sam or Freddie looked they were about to let go of Charlie any time soon so finally Carly had to step in and take the baby from the arms of the couple.

"Okay," she said. "Time for you guys to go."

Freddie smiled at her gratefully, pressed one last kiss to Charlie's head and opened the door. He picked up the bags as Sam also gave Charlie one last kiss.

"You'll call us if you need anything?" She asked.

"I'll call you if there's an emergency," Carly amended. "Don't worry, Sam. Charlie and I will be fine. Won't we?" She cooed to the baby. "You're going to have a lot of fun with Aunt Carly, aren't you?"

"Thank you, Carls. Really," Sam said.

"You just have fun. Go on." Carly gave her a little shove and Sam turned and followed Freddie out the door.

"I thought they'd never leave," Carly said to the baby once the door had closed. "Your parents are just a tad bit protective, little one. But now it's just you and me."

Charlie let out a little sound, drool dribbling down her chin.

"Yep, just you and me..."

* * *

The ride to the hotel was quiet, Freddie glancing over once in awhile to the passenger seat where Sam had her head turned and was looking out the window. He reached over and took her hand and Sam looked back at him and smiled. He felt his heart race at that smile, but the nerves in his stomach settled somewhat. Without a word Sam had reassured him that she wanted this too.

The hotel had valet parking and Freddie handed over the keys and carried their bags in while Sam checked in. She met him in the middle of the lobby and they made their way up to the tenth floor.

"So..." He said once they had entered their room. It was a beautiful room with a large king sized bed and large windows that led to a balcony with a view of the Space Needle. And that was all Freddie had time to take in before Sam launched herself into his arms, kissing him hard. He dropped the bags and wrapped his arms around her, returning the kiss with just as much force and enthusiasm.

When Sam started to pull him towards the bed, Freddie made himself pull away, taking big gulps of air as he did so.

"Sam...wait..." He panted.

"Wait for what?" She asked, toying with the buttons on his shirt, undoing one and then two. "Isn't this what we came here for?"

"No. I mean, yeah. Yes, of course. But..." He grabbed hold of her hands as she tried to unbutton a third button. "I thought we could have dinner first."

Sam laughed. "I think we're kind of past that now, aren't we?"

"Are we? We haven't even really been on a date since we got back together."

"No, we just have dinner together every night, sleep in the same bed, and take care of a baby."

Sarcasm dripped from her voice but Freddie had known Sam for too long to not be able to see behind that. This night was important to the both of them. He can't guarantee that it will be perfect, in fact he knows that it won't be. But he can make it special. Something that they'll both remember and cherish forever. Sam deserved that.

He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, letting his fingers trail gently down her cheek. "Please Sam? I just want to do this right. I made reservations for us in the restaurant downstairs."

Sam sighed but smiled as she pulled Freddie down by his shirt to kiss him. "You're such a sap, Benson. A hopeless romantic."

"When it comes to you, Samantha Puckett? Always."

She rolled her eyes but he could see her cheeks turn a rosy pink and it made him feel warm inside.

"I don't have anything to wear," Sam said, turning to her suitcase. "I didn't exactly expect to leave this room until tomorrow."

"Look inside." He nodded at the suitcase.

She looked at him quizzically.

"Open it."

Sam lifted the suitcase onto the bed and opened it. Right at the top was a carefully folded blue dress wrapped in plastic. She took it out, the silky material unfolding perfectly in front of her.

"When did you...?" She asked in awe.

"I had Carly pick it out and I snuck it in there."

Freddie knew that Sam prided herself on not being a daffodil. But he also knew that she had her moments - though they were small and didn't happen often - when she appreciated girly things. He knew that this was one of those moments. Sam beamed up at him, her smile so radiant that it was physically impossible for him not to kiss her.

"Go, get dressed," he whispered into her ear, leaving a little kiss there.

Sam took out a few more things from her suitcase and walked into the bathroom. Freddie let out a huge breath once the door shut and started to make his own preparations. He was more nervous than he could ever remember being but also happier than he'd ever been. Tonight was going to change everything.

* * *

Carly felt like she was losing her mind. Was there anything in the world more terrifying and more sad than a baby's sobs? After two straight hours with a crying Charlie, she didn't think so.

She was on the verge of tears herself as she took out her cellphone. She had promised herself before she came here that no matter what she wouldn't ask anyone for help but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Yo kiddo, what's up?"

"Spencer!" Carly cried, relieved that her brother had picked up.

"Is that crying?" He asked.

"Yes, it's Charlie. You have to come over to Sam and Freddie's and help me!"

"Where's Sam and Freddie?"

"They're out. I'll explain when you get here," she answered impatiently. "Just come over. Come over right now!"

"Okay, okay. I'm on my way."

Carly hung up and lifted Charlie out of her playpen.

"Come on, Charlie, what's wrong?" She asked desperately. "I just changed your diaper, you don't want to eat, you won't sleep..."

She rocked her in the same way that she'd seen Sam do and that made her scream louder. Carly looked down at the poor red faced baby, her little body squirming so much that Carly struggled to keep hold of her. She sat down on the couch in case Charlie broke out of her grip.

"Oh, you miss your mama and daddy, don't you?"

All she got was more crying in answer.

"They'll be back soon, sweetie. If you go to sleep, time will go by faster."

Charlie screamed and she winced.

"That's a no," she said, rubbing her ear.

A knock came at the door and Carly sighed in relief. She placed Charlie in her playpen and opened the door for her brother.

"Help me," she pleaded.

Spencer looked at Charlie, wincing at the volume of her cries.

"How long as she been like this?"

"The crying started about half an hour after Sam and Freddie left. I think she realized that they're not coming back anytime soon. Who knew babies were so smart? Did you know babies were that smart?" Carly demanded, the pitch of her voice climbing higher and higher in decibel.

Spencer pulled her into the kitchen so that they could talk at a normal volume and not have to yell at each other over Charlie's crying.

"Where are Sam and Freddie?"

"They're...at a hotel," said Carly, hoping that her brother would get it and she wouldn't have to spell it out.

"Why?" He asked, looking confused. "And why would they leave Charlie with you?"

Who was she kidding? This was Spencer after all.

"They needed a night by themselves..."

"Why? They already live together here."

"They just wanted some time without Charlie. You know, just the two of them..." She looked at her brother meaningfully, willing him to get it.

"Why?" Spencer asked, still absolutely clueless.

"Gee, I don't know. What could two nineteen year olds possibly be doing by themselves in a hotel room?" She asked sarcastically, losing her patience.

"Oh." The answer dawned on Spencer slowly. "Ohhh..."

He made a face. "Eww. I didn't need to know that..."

"You asked!"

"Okay, just calm down, Carly," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Deep breaths...Atta girl."

"What do we do?" She asked once she had calmed down somewhat.

"Don't worry, baby sis," he said cockily. "Spencer's got this."

Carly watched him swagger into the living room, feeling dread build in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

The dress that Freddie (and Carly) had gotten her was gorgeous. Sam wasn't much for girly things but even she had to admit that the silky material was just exquisite. It was sleeveless but the straps offered full shoulder coverage with a deep v that elegantly highlighted her not inconsiderable assets. The empire waistline was emphasized with a finely beaded strip beneath her breasts, and below that the dress flowed loosely with the front portion stopping a few inches above her knees and the back portion trailing a few inches below the middle of her calves. The dress must have cost a fortune and the sapphire blue color just happened to match the underwear and negligee set Sam had bought with Carly. Sam had to hand it to her best friend's genius.

She debated for several moments on what to do with her hair before deciding to just leave it down since Freddie seemed to prefer it that way anyhow. He loved running his hands through her hair when they were cuddled together on the couch watching TV or when they were in bed. She put on some light make-up, mostly eyeliner and mascara that emphasized the blue in her eyes and which matched her dress. Carly had also packed her strappy blue high heeled sandals. Sam was grateful that the restaurant was just downstairs. She didn't think she'd last long in the three inch stiletto heels.

When she came out of the bathroom, Freddie's jaw literally dropped. She smiled and twirled around, letting the fabric of the dress fly up and swirl around her.

"Wow...Just wow..." Freddie said, not taking his eyes off her.

Sam was glad for the distraction of showing off because Freddie looked absolutely amazing. He was wearing a black suit with a blue shirt inside and a tie in a deeper shade of blue that matched her dress. His hair was gelled up but not too much, just enough to do a little of the spikey thing in front that she had always loved.

"You don't look too bad yourself, Benson," she said. "You sure you want to go downstairs?"

Freddie wrapped his arms around her. "Don't tempt me, Puckett."

"Like this?" She asked, running her hands up his chest before encircling them around his neck.

She trailed kisses down his chin and then down to his neck.

"Dammit, Sam," he groaned.

She giggled into his neck and pulled away.

"Let's go, Benson," she said, marching to the door. "Mama's hungry."

She stepped out of the room and Freddie quickly caught up with her, closing the door behind him. He took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers as they walked to the elevator and Sam smiled up at him, her heart soaring with happiness. It was going to be a good night.

* * *

"Waaaah...Wa-haha-haaaa..." Spencer cried, contorting his face in a desperate attempt to get Charlie to stop crying with his classic fake crying bit.

Carly watched from her spot on the couch, too exhausted to try and stop him, and she had run out of ideas herself. Though after the hour they had spent trying to stop Charlie crying to no avail, Carly was starting to think that her brother's fake crying was becoming real. She felt like crying herself, nothing they did pleased Charlie! She had read over Sam's insane list three times and tried everything from giving Charlie her bear to re-enacting old iCarly skits to singing to her and none of it worked. She had no idea how Sam and Freddie did this and as much as she didn't want to disturb them on their night alone, Carly was coming perilously close to calling them.

She leaned back and closed her eyes. She could really use a shower, maybe the water will drown out the sounds of crying. She had just decided to go ahead and use Sam and Freddie's shower when the apartment went silent.

Carly opened her eyes. "Have I gone deaf?"

"Shhh..." Spencer said. "It worked! It really worked. Look, she's not crying!"

Carly breathed in relief. "Oh thank god..."

"She just needed a bit of Spencer magic..." He cooed to her and Charlie cried again as he brought his face close to hers.

"Spencer!" Carly scolded.

"Not my fault! She needs a diaper change." He held her out gingerly and tried to pass her off to Carly.

"Why me?" She asked, shying away from the smelly baby.

"Because you volunteered for this! I did not!"

Carly hopped around, trying to get away as Spencer insistently held the baby out to her.

"But I don't wanna do it!" She cried helplessly as she finally took Charlie, holding her out a safe distance from her body.

Spencer grabbed his cell phone and made for the door.

"Hey!" Carly yelled. "You can't leave me!"

"I'll be right back," he said over his shoulder. "I just need to call someone."

She looked at Charlie mournfully. "He's not coming back."

The crying continued and Carly took her to her room, resigned to her diaper duty.

* * *

Sam looked down at her phone for the fifth time in half an hour.

"Sam..." Freddie said. "I'm sure Charlie is alright." He took her hand across the table.

"Maybe I should call Carly just to make sure..." She said uncertainly.

The waiter came over, pushing a cart in front of him. He placed a plate in front of Sam and on it was the biggest, juiciest looking steak she'd ever seen.

"You were saying?" Freddie asked, a smirk in his voice.

"Huh?" She looked up at him, feeling dazed. The scent of perfectly cooked meat wafted up her nostrils and she forgot everything else, picking up her knife and fork to tear into it.

She thought she heard Freddie chuckling but at this moment nothing existed in her world but this steak.

* * *

To her surprise and relief, when Carly came out with a freshly diapered and still crying Charlie, she found Spencer sitting on the couch.

"You came back," she said, taking a seat next to him and arranging the wiggly Charlie in her lap.

"Of course I did," said Spencer, looking insulted. "Did you really think I'd leave you alone in your hour of need, little sis?"

Charlie screamed and he flinched.

"Man, that kid has a set of lungs."

"I think I should call Sam," Carly said, feeling defeated.

"No no, don't do that," Spencer protested.

"We can't let her cry all night, Spencer!"

"You're right, you're right," he said, trying to placate her. "But I think we should wait."

"Wait for what?" Carly demanded, the crying making her feel like tearing her hair out.

Rapid knocking on the door broke through the sounds of sobbing.

"For that!" Spencer jumped, a big grin on his face.

He opened the door to none other than Julie. Carly really shouldn't have been surprised that she'd be the first person her brother would think to call.

"You needed help?" Julie asked brightly.

Normally Carly would insist that she could do this on her own. She didn't like to admit it but she was a bit jealous of the close friendship that Sam had built with Julie. Up until recently Carly had even felt replaced in Sam's life and she had let her hurt feelings fester into a small rift with Sam. Carly liked to think that she had gotten past that and she did actually like Julie as a person so she never said a word about it to Sam. But even as a small competitive part of her wanted to keep Charlie to herself, the even bigger part of her that was exhausted, worried, and desperate won hands down and Carly willingly handed the baby over.

* * *

The night had been perfect so far and yet Sam couldn't shake the nagging feeling from her gut. The feeling that something was wrong.

Dinner was wonderful, she had finished her steak in record time and they had a rich chocolate cheesecake for dessert. Freddie knew better than to order one dessert for them to share, despite the waiter's suggestion, and he had even given her half of his when Sam finished hers. Afterwards, Freddie had led her out to the terrace that had a view of the back garden of the hotel, the darkened water of the swimming pool twinkling with the reflection of the city lights.

They stood there, with Freddie's arms wrapped around her from behind, protecting her from the chilly wind.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his breath warm in her ear, sending a shiver down Sam's spine that made Freddie hold her tighter, thinking she was cold.

"Nothing," Sam said. "Tonight has been perfect."

She fidgeted with her small beaded purse where her phone was.

"You still want to call, don't you?"

Sam sighed and turned to face him. "I just have a feeling, Freddie."

"Okay," he said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I want to know how Charlie's doing too and if you're worried as much as you are then there has to be a reason."

Sam eagerly opened her bag and pulled her phone out. It seemed like an eternity before Carly picked up. She thought it was going to go to voicemail and was about to tell Freddie to get the car when Carly answered with a breathless "hello?".

"Hey, Carly," Sam said. "How are things going?"

"Oh. Good, good. Things are great! How's the big night out going?"

"Great. Listen, Carls, I know it sounds silly but I kind of had a bad feeling. How's Charlie? She's not giving you any trouble is she?"

"No, no trouble at all," Carly said in a voice that sounded forced to Sam's ear but maybe she was imagining it. "She ate and we watched TV and she's perfect. You shouldn't worry at all."

"Can I talk to her?" Sam asked, leaning back against Freddie's chest. "I mean I know she can't talk or anything but...I just want to say goodnight."

"Oh, she's already asleep. Yeah, we had so much fun she just conked out."

"Oh. Okay. Did you read her a story?"

"Yes, I did," Carly assured her.

"Did she eat right before going to sleep?"

"Um...Yeah."

"Then she'll need a diaper change in a couple of hours. And if she didn't finish her bottle she'll need another feeding a couple hours after that. Sorry, Carls, you're not in for much sleep tonight."

"Pssh...I'm a college student, I'm used to it. Who needs sleep?" Carly said. "You just enjoy your night, Sam. Don't worry at all, I've got things under control here."

"Okay...Thanks, Carls."

"Have fun!" Carly chirped and hung up.

Sam stared down at her phone.

"So is everything okay?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, Carly says it is."

"You don't look convinced," he observed.

"She just sounded kind of weird...I don't know."

"Do you want to go home?"

Sam looked up at him and knew that with just one word from her, Freddie absolutely would sacrifice their romantic night alone to go home with her to their baby. He wouldn't even think twice about it, just like he didn't think twice about taking on all the duties of being a father without her having to ask. As worried as she was about Charlie, Sam knew that she left her baby in the care of one of the most capable and responsible people she knows and someone that she trusted with her life. She just had to set aside her own feelings of separation anxiety and trust Carly with her baby because tonight, tonight was about Freddie. It was about the two of them together and being able to give each other their undivided attention, something they haven't been able to do since they got back together, not with a baby always in the next room. And which Sam realized she wasn't doing a very good job of so far tonight. But she certainly planned to make up for it.

"No," she said, wrapping her arms around his middle and kissing him.

"I want to go upstairs," she murmured against his lips.

"You read my mind." He smiled.

* * *

After Carly hung up on the phone with Sam, the panic really started to set in. She'd had to escape out into the hallway so that Sam wouldn't hear the crying. Something she only thought of after running around like a headless chicken when she saw Sam's name on her ringing phone. Julie was trying her best but she had as much luck in calming Charlie as Spencer and Carly did. Which is to say, none. After talking to Sam she called Ian, if for nothing else than that she just needed someone to hold her before she had a complete and total mental breakdown.

Ian arrived and not long after that, Spencer for some reason called Gibby. And now they were all gathered around Charlie, who still couldn't be consoled no matter who held her.

Carly pulled Spencer into Sam and Freddie's bedroom.

"I lied to Sam! I lied and told her Charlie was okay, that she's asleep. But she's not!"

"Carly, you have to calm down," Spencer said.

She hit him. "What did I tell you about telling a girl to calm down?"

Spencer brought his arms up to shield himself from her attack. "Okay, okay!"

"What are we going to do?" Carly asked, feeling tears start to prick her eyes. "Sam trusted me with Charlie and I can't make her stop crying or make her eat or sleep. And now I can't call Sam because I lied to her and told her everything was fine when it's not and now she and Freddie are probably...you know, so we can't bother them."

The tears slipped down her cheeks and Spencer enveloped her in a hug. "It's going to be okay, Carls."

"You're lying," Carly said, letting herself melt into her brother's embrace for a moment before pulling away and wiping her cheeks. "But thank you."

"Hey, do you hear that?" Spencer turned his head to the door.

"Hear what?" Carly asked. And then she realized. "It's quiet!"

They raced out of the room to find Julie and Ian sitting on the couch, Gibby standing over them with Charlie in his arms and drinking from her bottle.

"You got her to eat!" Carly cried.

"Yeah. I guess all that crying made her hungry," Gibby said.

Carly could have wept from the relief that she felt. She sat down next to Ian, who put his arm around her. Spencer squeezed in beside Julie despite the fact that the love seat was unoccupied. They all sat there just enjoying the blessed quiet. Carly leaned against Ian and let her eyes close. She was drifting off to sleep when Gibby cried out. Her eyes shot open and she looked up at Gibby who was still holding Charlie but now had a very very wet shirt.

"What happened, Gibby?" She asked.

"I was burping her and she spit all over me!"

It was a comical sight. Gibby held the baby away from his body looking distressed while Charlie looked the most serene she'd been all night since Sam and Freddie left.

Carly stood up. "Relax, Gibby. I'll get you one of Freddie's shirts."

"Here, give her to me," Julie said. "I think she'll actually go to sleep now."

Carly quickly ran to the bedroom and grabbed the first shirt she saw in Sam and Freddie's closet. It was a little odd to see their clothes hanging there side by side. Her best friends really lived together, like grown-ups. It was so strange.

She gave Gibby the shirt and looked at Julie, who was rocking the miraculously still quiet Charlie.

"We should take her to her room," she said. "And read her a bedtime story. Sam really wanted me to do that."

"Why?" Gibby asked as he pulled off his wet shirt right there in the middle of the living room, which made Carly flashback to six years ago when this was a normal sight. "She's a baby, she can't understand it."

"It's actually really good for a baby to be read to and sung to even though they can't technically understand the words," Ian said. "It helps develop their brain."

"Yeah," Carly agreed, smiling down at her boyfriend. "And it's a tradition. I'm not going to be the one to break it."

She took the baby from Julie and carried her to her room, everyone following behind her. Carly was about to protest that this didn't have to be a group activity but Charlie seemed to like having a crowd of people around her. Her eyes roamed around, looking at everyone and her little hand waved around. Carly caught sight of Gibby and burst out laughing. Freddie's shirt fit him well enough around the neck and arms but the height difference between them and Gibby's thicker torso made the shirt hang to his belly button. It looked like he was wearing something that had shrunk two sizes in the wash. Everyone else took notice and laughed.

"Hey, it's not my fault Freddie's so short." He put his hands on his hips and struck model poses. "Personally, I think I can rock this look."

"Oh Gibby," Carly said, wiping tears from her eyes. "You really can't."

She handed Ian the baby. "I have an idea, guys," she said, as she picked up the storybook and opened it to the right page. "How about we all play characters in the story and read in their voices?"

Everyone agreed and Carly laid Charlie down in her crib. She protested at first, kicking and crying out but Carly put her bear beside her and once everyone had been assigned their roles and the storytelling got underway, Charlie calmed down. The baby had surprising energy, though maybe not that surprising considering she was a Puckett (and Melanie's at that, who had always been a little more high strung than Sam), and she stayed awake for nearly all of the story. Finally, her eyes closed and her breathing evened out and everyone in the room breathed a collective sigh of relief.

It was only nearing midnight but it had been the longest night of Carly's life.

* * *

When they made it back to their room Freddie was on her like a starving man and her lips were his last meal. It took every ounce of Sam's willpower to pull away and drag herself into the bathroom. She didn't want the negligee she'd bought to go to waste, after all. And as eager as she was for this to happen, she was also maybe a little nervous. Sam smoothed down the silk that barely covered her thighs and tried to pull the top up a little more but only succeeded in pushing more of her cleavage out. Okay, she was a lot nervous.

In the three years since she and Freddie had broken up, Sam had dated very little. Mostly because she was so busy with Gibby's and getting through high school that she didn't have time for it and also because there just weren't many guys that interested her after Freddie. Sure, Sam has had her share of crushes and flirtations but she'd never been as boy crazy as Carly. She didn't go into withdrawals if she hadn't been kissed in three months and she wasn't always on the hunt for her next potential boyfriend. Sam truly falling for a guy was rare and when she did, she fell hard. She'd fallen for Freddie the hardest of all, and now she could admit to herself that maybe she'd never gotten back up again. And now she didn't want to. She was ready to give all of herself to him. Her heart, soul, and her body.

It felt like her whole life had been leading up to this moment. She wondered if there was ever really any option, anyone else she could have given herself to. The answer in Sam's mind was a resounding 'no'. She had no shame in being a nineteen year old virgin. Sam knew of girls who had given it up in high school and had no shame in it, and also of some who regretted it. She and Carly had agreed years ago that they wouldn't do it until they had found the right person and they both stuck to it. Sam was glad to be leading her life in a different way than her mother and Melanie did. Sure, she'll make mistakes. That was a given in life. But she'd have no regrets.

After she had brushed her teeth, flossed, brushed her hair, and fidgeted more with her nightgown, Sam realized that she couldn't stall anymore. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She thought about Freddie...she pictured his lips, that eyebrow raise and smirk thing that he does that she finds unbelievably sexy, his biceps, his hands...Suddenly Sam couldn't get out of the bathroom fast enough. She was ready.

* * *

Freddie paced in front of the bed after Sam went into the bathroom but the constant motion was just making him more nervous. He sat down on the bed and spent several minutes trying to decide how to sit or lie before realizing how ridiculous he looked and sat down at the end of the bed. Sam was taking a long time in the bathroom. Freddie took off his blazer and tie and then his shoes and socks, and after some internal debate, decided to keep the rest of his clothes on. He really wished there was some sort of protocol for this. And why was Sam taking so long in the bathroom? A glance at the alarm clock told him that it had been twenty minutes. Should he say something? No, he didn't want to make it seem like he was rushing her.

And so Freddie sat there, growing more nervous by the minute. His mind was picturing the worst case scenarios. What if Sam didn't come out? Maybe she climbed out of the window, he'd heard of girls doing that...The situations he's heard about was usually their wedding day but still. No, they're on the tenth floor. Even Sam couldn't manage that feat. What if they did it and he was bad at it? What if he couldn't put the condom on properly? He hadn't really done it since that time in sex-ed class with the bananas. Maybe he should have practiced. Condoms! Freddie remembered suddenly.

He jumped up and dug the box of condoms he'd bought out of his bag and placed it inside the nightstand drawer. He had closed it already when he abruptly opened it again and ripped the box open, taking out one foil pocket and placing it on top, ready to go.

"Whatcha got there?"

Freddie started and turned, catching sight of Sam's head peeking out of the bathroom, and nudged the drawer close with his thigh.

"N-n-nothing!" He stuttered.

Sam came out of the bathroom completely and Freddie's jaw dropped as he looked at her. She was wearing the tiniest silk nightie that he'd ever seen. It fell down to the top of her thighs, making her legs look unbelievably long and tempting. The top of it...was there even a top of it? All Freddie could see was Sam's cleavage, looking full and round and how embarrassing would it be if he started hyperventilating?

"Eyes up, Fredward," Sam said.

"You can't wear _that_ and expect me to keep my eyes up," Freddie choked out, his eyes staying firmly down.

"At least wipe the drool from your chin."

He finally looked up and Sam was standing right in front of him. How did that happen?

"You like?" She asked, looking up at him shyly and tugging at the nightie self-consciously.

He couldn't take it anymore. Looking at Sam standing before him, so beautiful and vulnerable, he forgot all of his nerves and anxiety from just minutes before. His body pulsed with desire, he had to have her.

"Sam," he growled and pulled her to him, her body flush against his. Her eyes darkened at his show of aggressiveness and she was on him, her lips attacking his.

Freddie fought valiantly for control of the kiss before giving up and surrendering to her. She was half naked and her breasts were pressed up against his chest. As far as Freddie was concerned, Sam could have anything she wanted. All of him, every little piece, it was all hers.

"Freddie," she gasped. "Wouldn't we be more comfortable lying down?"

"Oh," he said, dazed. "Yeah, um, bed...where?"

"It's behind you." Sam smiled.

"Right...Um..." Freddie had trouble moving his feet. His brain felt like it had been short-circuited. Sam shook her head, still smiling, and moved out of his arms. His body trembled at the loss. She lay down on the bed and Freddie automatically moved towards her, his body following her, a slave to her will.

He positioned himself on top of her, being careful not to put his weight on her, and she kissed him, her hands tangling in his hair. After a few minutes, Sam's hands went from his hair to his shirt, her fingers moving lightning fast through the buttons. Freddie broke away and peeled it off, throwing it to the side of the bed. Sam sat up and placed kisses on his neck, trailing them down his chest.

Liquid heat pooled in the bottom of his stomach, rushing down to his groin, causing him to harden impossibly as Sam's tongue circled around his left nipple. She switched to the other one, dropping kisses across his chest, and Freddie groaned as she bit down lightly.

"Sam!" He said desperately. "Please..."

She made her way back up, peppering him with kisses until she reached his lips.

"What do you want, Freddie?" She asked.

"I want to see you."

Sam flushed, her skin turning the prettiest shade of pink, but raised her arms above her head for him. Freddie raised the silk material, his heart pumping fast as more and more of Sam's beautiful flesh was revealed to him. He pulled it over her head and tossed it in the same general direction of his shirt. She wasn't wearing a bra and now she only had the tiniest blue panties on. Freddie couldn't stop staring.

Sam turned a deeper shade of pink and put up her arms self-consciously to cover herself.

"No, no. Please don't," Freddie said. "God, Sam, you're gorgeous."

He put a hand on her shoulder and trailed it gently down her arm. He looked up at Sam to see her watching him, her eyes welling up with unshed tears.

"What? What's wrong?" He asked gently. "If you don't want to do this..."

"Freddie, I'm pretty much naked in front of you and you touch my _arm_," she said.

"Oh...is that bad? I'm so-"

Sam grabbed his face and kissed him fiercely. "I love you," she said, pressing her forehead against his.

He smiled. "That's good. Because I love you too. So, so much."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her chest to his. "Show me."

Freddie kissed her and laid her back down on the bed. The nerves were still there, an irritating voice in the back of his head that was telling him that he was going to screw this up, but his desire for Sam drowned it out. She told him to show her how much he loved her and god help him, that was what he was going to do. He was going to worship her body, he was going to spend the night showing her how much he adored her.

He kissed down her neck, pausing to lick and suck that special spot below her pulse point that he knows drives Sam crazy. Right on cue she let out a moan that went straight to his groin. He went further down, stopping as he reached the top of her breasts.

Sam lifted her head up. "What? Why are you stopping?"

"Sorry, reflex. I was waiting for the baby to cry."

She laughed and Freddie laid a kiss in the valley between her breasts. They never got much further than this, with clothes on, at home when Charlie would start to cry through the monitor and demand their attention. But there would be no crying baby tonight. Tonight was just for them and Freddie planned to make the most of it.

He cupped her left breast in his hand, feeling amazed. How could anyone be this perfect? He brushed his thumb over her nipple and watched as it puckered up and hardened. Sam gasped. Encouraged by this, Freddie circled it harder and watched as Sam's eyes closed in pleasure. He brought his mouth down and traced the same pattern with his tongue that he did with his thumb before latching on and sucking. Sam's body writhed beneath him as she moaned and clutched his hair, keeping his head where it was. Freddie's hand played with her other breast and he switched, giving as much attention to the other breast as he did to the first.

Sam squirmed beneath him and moaned in protest when he abandoned his ministrations and started moving further down. He left wet kisses all down her stomach, his tongue dipping into her belly button. Sam bucked up and giggled.

"Ticklish?" He grinned up at her.

"Just keep going, Benson," she retorted, her voice sounding deep and breathy and so sexy that Freddie couldn't stand it.

He reached the top of her panties and traced the line of it with his lips. He could see that the silk fabric was a little damp and his chest swelled with pride. He tugged down on the little fabric and Sam lifted her hips to help him. Finally, she was completely bare before him and Freddie felt his breath catch at the sight.

"So beautiful," he whispered as he parted her thighs. "Sam..."

"Mmm...Freddie..." she mewled.

"I..." He looked up at her. "Tell me what to do, Sam. What do you want?"

"Touch me..."

He laid a kiss on her thigh. Sam probably thought he was teasing her but really, he was gathering courage. This was the first time he'd done anything remotely like this but he had done some research on the internet. As he lightly traced her outer lips with his finger, he just hoped that he could remember what he'd learned.

"More," Sam begged.

Freddie, feeling encouraged, parted her lips and found that magic little nub which, according to what he'd read, held the key to her pleasure. And apparently it was right, as Sam moaned and writhed beneath his touch. He put more pressure on it with his thumb as his middle and pointer fingers explored her wetness below. He looked up at Sam, her eyes closed and her head tossed back. He wanted to give her more pleasure than she's ever felt before.

He laid a kiss at the top of her pubic bone and trailed his lips down, not stopping until he reached his thumb. Sam gasped and sat up.

"Freddie, wait!"

"What?" He pulled away, feeling panicked. "Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"No...no. It's just...you don't have to..."

"I want to, Sam," he assured her. "Please. I just want to make you feel good."

She bit her lip nervously but nodded and laid back down. Freddie parted her lips again and licked the little nub. Sam gasped again and bucked her hips. He used one hand to hold her hips down while the other explored her opening. He started licking her more fervently, egged on by Sam's moans. He slid one finger in, she was so wet and tight that Freddie groaned out loud. Sam liked that, her moans lengthening and her legs parting further. He slid another finger in, her walls squeezing him deliciously and his dick jumped. He couldn't wait to be inside of her. The scent and taste of her arousal filled him, stoking his desire even further.

"Freddie..." Sam moaned, her hips arching up. "Oh god, Freddie..."

There were no words for what it felt like to hear Sam moan his name in the throes of passion. If he thought he was hard before, he was steel now, and his pants were uncomfortably tight. But he wasn't about to abandon his task. Sam gripped his hair almost painfully, desperate to keep his lips in place as he licked and sucked her clit. He remembered a trick that he had read about and started licking the letters 'I love you' onto her nub at the same time that he crooked his fingers up and searched that spot, that special spot that would make her...

Sam's hips arched up at the same time that she screamed out his name and she tightened around his fingers, squeezing them in a vice grip. Freddie laid kisses on her hip as her body quaked, riding out the aftershocks of her orgasm. He pulled his fingers out and she mewled at the loss of him. Freddie made his way up her body, licking up the sweat forming in the valley between her breasts and her neck before kissing her deeply.

He laid down on his side beside her, watching as she panted and tried to regain her breath. He brushed her sweaty bangs from her forehead and she smiled up at him.

"Wow," she said.

"Yeah..." Freddie said, feeling more than a little proud of himself. He didn't think he'd done such bad job for his first time.

Sam rolled her eyes. "If I looked on your computer exactly how much porn would I find?"

He blushed. "It's not like that. I mean, I did some research but not like _that. _Not the dirty stuff..."

Sam pushed him onto his back and climbed atop him. "I did some research too. Wanna see what I learned?" She grinned.

Freddie gulped as she kissed down his neck, licking and sucking his pulse point much like he did to her. He moaned as she bit down lightly and then soothed the sting with little kisses. She made her way down his chest, pausing to lavish attention to his nipples again. He was painfully hard and he knew that she could feel it.

"Sam, please..." he begged as she placed kisses on his stomach and her hand lightly, teasingly brushed his dick.

He could feel her smirk on his skin before she began undoing his belt. He sighed in relief as she unzipped his pants, finally feeling some release on the pressure. Sam pulled his pants down and he lifted up to help her. Next was his boxers, which she pulled down slowly.

He felt nervous as Sam looked at him, suddenly understanding what she must have felt when she laid naked before him. She leaned in and kissed his thigh, again mimicking what he did to her. He might have protested her obvious copying except that he was distracted when her hand gripped his erection. He groaned as she started moving her hand up and down.

"Sam..."

"Do you like that?"

"Y-yeah..." He groaned as she gripped him a little tighter and moved faster, swiping his precum and spreading it around his dick, using it for lubrication. Freddie couldn't believe how good it felt, it was a thousand times better than his own hand.

He thought he knew the height of pleasure with Sam's hand wrapped around him, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of her mouth closing around his tip. He moaned and gripped the sheets as Sam took him in little by little. Pleasure burned through his body as she started moving up and down, her hand wrapping around what she couldn't take in. He was seeing stars beneath his eyelids and Freddie knew he wouldn't last long like this. He looked down and caught sight of Sam looking up at him. It was the most amazing sight he'd ever seen, her big blue eyes staring into his and her mouth stretched around his cock...She flicked her tongue against the tip and he bucked up his hips, crying out. It was all too much.

"Sam...Sam!" He said desperately, his muscles tight and aching with the effort of holding his orgasm back. "Please...You've gotta stop."

He placed his hands on her head and gently moved her away.

"Why? What's wrong?" She asked as she crawled up his body. "Did I do it wrong?"

"No! You're perfect...I mean, chizz, that's amazing," he breathed and she smiled at him, looking pleased. "But if you keep doing that I'm gonna come."

"Oh." Sam looked up at him shyly. "I don't mind...I mean you can, you know, in my mouth..."

Freddie groaned and kissed her. The offer was almost irresistible. But there was one thing he wanted more.

"Another time. Right now I really need to be inside you."

Sam bit her lip and nodded. He laid her down on her back, kissing her deeply. His tip brushed against her wetness and he groaned into her mouth. Breaking the kiss, he reached over to the drawer he had put the condoms in and pulled it open, taking out the one that he had placed at the ready. He sat up on his knees and tore the packet open but fumbled a little as he tried to unroll it onto himself.

"Need some help?" Sam asked.

He put all of his concentration into the task and managed to put it on properly. He grinned down at her in triumph and Sam giggled back at him, pulling him down and kissing him.

"I love you," he said, looking into her eyes and hoping that she saw that he meant it with all of his being.

"I love you too," she said.

Freddie positioned himself at her opening and Sam spread her legs wider. He looked at her as he placed the very tip in, her wetness soaking him. She nodded her head and he pushed in.

She was so wet, so tight...The feeling was indescribable. Every nerve ending in his body felt like it was on fire. He went slowly, knowing that it must be uncomfortable for Sam. He watched her facial reactions carefully, looking for any signs of pain. She winced when he was halfway in and Freddie stopped. His hands gripped the sheets and the muscles in his back and arms flexed with the effort of holding back and not just plunging into her body like his animal instincts were telling him to do.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Sam nodded. "Just give me a minute..."

His body was tight with tension and she felt so amazing around him that it felt physically painful to hold back but he'd do it. He'd do anything for this girl. Her needs came first, always.

Finally, Sam let out a breath and relaxed. "Okay, just...go fast," she ordered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Freddie slid the rest of the way in quickly, feeling her barrier rip but her inner muscles tightened around him so much that he almost came on the spot. Only Sam's cry of pain held him back and he held still, his length buried deep inside her.

He kissed her forehead and her eyelids, silently apologizing for the pain he had caused her.

"Keep going," she said.

Freddie kissed her and pulled out slowly then slid back in. He expected it to feel amazing to be inside of Sam but this was so far and beyond amazing that he couldn't wrap his mind around it. It was more than the physical pleasure of being wrapped up in her exquisite warmth and tightness. It was the look in her eyes, so open and full of love for him, he could see it all. For the first time Sam was opening up completely, giving him her soul as well as her body. He was inside her in every way and it completed him in a way that he wondered how he had ever lived without this - without _her_.

Breathless, Sam stared up at him. "Faster," she demanded.

Freddie all too willingly complied, plunging in out of her at an increasingly rapid pace.

"Yes..." She moaned, bending her knees up and spreading her legs further. "Oh yes...More!"

She started lifting her hips up to meet his thrusts and Freddie couldn't hold back his own moans. He gripped her hips tightly as he plunged in and out of her, unable to hold back any longer. Every instinct, every fiber being of his being was urging him on, telling him to take her, to make her his. Now, always. Forever, his.

Freddie rained kisses down her face and neck and used one hand to caress her breast. He could feel Sam's wetness coating his cock as every plunge brought him deeper into her tight warmth than before and he was grateful for the layer of protection the condom provided from the sensation. Without it, he surely would have come already.

He was so close but he wanted to bring Sam over the edge with him. He had one more trick up his sleeve that he learned and he brought the hand that was playing with her breast down between them to find her hardened nub. He rubbed her desperately as he quickened his pace and Sam cried out.

She clawed at his back, her fingers slipping against the slick sweat gathered there. She wrapped her legs around his waist, arching up frantically to meet his pace. She screamed his name as he hit that spot deep inside of her. The sensation along with the pressure from his fingers on her clit made her body shake and tremble as she came undone. Her walls contracted and squeezed him tightly, sending Freddie free falling off the edge and into the greatest bliss he's ever known.

"Sam Sam Sam..." Freddie repeated like a mantra as he trembled above her.

His arms gave out and he collapsed on top of her, breathing hard. Sam wrapped her arms and legs around him, keeping him close. They laid there for several minutes, trying to regain their breaths and the use of their limbs, which felt as if the bones had been replaced with jelly.

Freddie knew that he had to move, he had to get his weight off of Sam and take care of the condom. He laid a kiss on her shoulder and moved up. Sam whimpered as he slid out of her, keeping a careful hold on the condom to make sure that it didn't come off. When he was free of her body, he took it off and threw it in the trash can beside the bed. Sam held her arms open for him, inviting him back, and he happily fell into them, rolling onto his back and bring her with him so that half of her body rested atop his.

"That was..."

"Incredible," Sam finished.

"More than." He grinned and kissed her forehead, resting his nose on her wet bangs.

"Good work," she said, her eyes twinkling up at him.

"You too."

"I love you," said Sam, breaking script.

Freddie knew in that moment that even though this was another first for them. Another huge, life-altering first that they chose to share with each other, that things were different. This time there was no hiding behind their game, no concealment of feelings and going back to the status quo. This time they were just Sam and Freddie, giving their hearts and bodies to one another.

"I love you too, Sam."

* * *

Sam's eyes opened slowly as she dragged herself out of the deepest and longest sleep she'd had in a long time. She didn't use to be a light sleeper but having a baby didn't lend itself to the deepest of slumbers. Warm arms were wrapped around her and she turned to look at Freddie, surprised that he was still sleeping. He was a morning person and usually got up long before her. She giggled quietly as she realized that she must have really tired him out last night.

She took the opportunity to simply watch him sleep. He looked so cute, she imagined that he must have looked like this when he was a little boy. Though there was nothing boyish about what he did to her last night. No, last night he was all man...Sam flushed as her thoughts turned in a naughty direction and she became acutely aware of the ache in her thighs. She had used muscles last night that she didn't have much practice in using and she'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Unable to stay still and silent any longer, Sam began kissing Freddie's neck, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He groaned and his eyes opened, immediately wrapping his arms around her.

"Morning," he said, his voice thick and gravelly with sleep.

"Morning." Sam smiled. "Tired?"

"Mmm...Good tired." Freddie buried his face in her hair and his hand traced down her bare ass underneath the sheet, gripping it tightly and making Sam gasp.

"Again?"

He pressed his very prominent morning erection onto her stomach in answer.

"Baby, I don't think we have time..." Sam protested even as heat spread down her belly, making her ache for him.

"It's only..." Freddie turned his head to look at the clock. "Eleven. Shit!" He sat up, his ardor momentarily forgotten. "Check out is at twelve!"

"And I told Carly we'd be home by lunch," Sam said, sitting up as well. Her stomach growled, making it known that she hadn't fed it breakfast. "Lunch..." She groaned.

Freddie stopped her as she made her way to the bathroom and kissed her forehead. "Go get dressed. I'll pack our stuff and we'll have brunch downstairs before we leave."

Sam nodded, wishing that she could kiss him but her own morning breath stopped her. She settled for pressing her face into his neck, leaving a kiss there that made Freddie groan and threaten to throw her down on the bed and ravish her. Check out time be damned. Sam giggled and disappeared into the bathroom before she seriously took him up on that offer.

* * *

Sam didn't know what she was expecting when she got home but an apartment full of her friends wasn't it. Spencer and Julie were curled up together on the love seat, Ian lay on the couch, his feet dangling off the end, and Gibby was stretched out on the floor with only a couch pillow under his head for comfort. All of them were fast asleep. And yet Carly was nowhere in sight.

Sam and Freddie looked at each other and ran to Charlie's bedroom. Sam breathed in relief when she saw her baby safe and asleep in her crib. Carly was in the rocking chair, holding an empty bottle in her hand and sleeping with her head on her shoulder in what Sam knew from experience was an extremely uncomfortable position. Sam kneeled down and gently shook Carly awake.

"Wha-what?" She looked around in confusion and sat straight up, flinching as pain shot up her neck. She saw Sam and Freddie and her eyes widened.

"I am so so sorry!" She cried.

Sam put her finger to her lips to quiet her, glancing quickly at the baby. She took Carly's arm and led her out to into the hall.

"I'm sorry!" Carly repeated. Her next words came out in a rush. "Charlie wouldn't stop crying last night and I didn't know what to do so I called Spencer but he couldn't make her stop and he called Julie and nothing we did worked, so then Ian came and then Gibby. And Gibby managed to get her to eat and we all acted out a story to get her to sleep. But then she kept waking up through the night so no one could go home...I'm sorry! I thought I could do it alone but I couldn't!"

"Carly! Carly!" Sam yelled and shook her shoulders to make her stop her rant. "It's okay! It's okay, Carls."

Carly stared at her. "You're not mad?"

"Mad about what? That you did everything you could to take care of my baby?"

"But I lied to you last night when you called," she said in a small voice. "Charlie wasn't fine...she was screaming her head off because she missed you so much."

"It's okay, Carly," Freddie said. "We had a great night because of you. Thank you."

Carly's face crumpled and she hugged Sam tightly. "I don't know how guys do it! Babies are hard!"

Sam laughed. "Yeah, no chizz."

Freddie smiled at them and joined in the hug.

"Is everyone still sleeping?" Carly asked when they pulled away. She tried in vain to smooth down her hair, which Sam had never seen so tangled and messy before. She felt bad for thinking it but it was pretty funny to see the chaos that a three month old baby managed to wreak on her best friend. She'd been put through the same wringer everyday for the last three months but it was a lot more comical on the other side of things.

"Yeah," Freddie said.

"How about we wake everyone up and go to the restaurant for lunch?" Sam suggested. "My treat."

Carly smiled and nodded. Freddie put his arm around Sam as they followed Carly to the living room.

"Should we be worried at how good Charlie already is at throwing a party when we're not home?" He asked.

Sam laughed and kissed his cheek. "She's got Puckett genes, baby. You should always be worried."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'm really really sorry that this update took so long. I'm a junior transfer to a university and I moved into an on campus apartment so the past two months have just been crazy for me. This is for the mass posting but I'm a bit late...better late than never, right? :) Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Lemon warning at the beginning. ;)**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

"Oh, Freddie..." Sam moaned as Freddie made his way down her body.

He stopped to lavish attention to her breasts, taking the hardened peak into his mouth and sucking until Sam's back arched up in pleasure. He kept moving south until he reached the edge of her underwear.

"Please Freddie..." Sam begged.

He hooked his fingers around the edge of her panties and tugged it down, Sam lifted her hips up to help him. Her legs spreading wider as he tossed the underwear aside and he went back to his place between her legs. Freddie parted her lips, his fingers sliding in her slick wetness. She was dripping for him.

"Don't tease me," Sam said desperately. "Please, we don't have much time."

As much as Freddie wanted to drag this out, he knew that she was right. So he dove in, applying pressure on her clit with his tongue and making Sam's hips arch up as she cried out. He licked and sucked her sweet nub and moved his index finger down to enter her tight heat. His middle finger joined in and Sam's hips arched so high that Freddie had to movie his face away.

"Oh God...Oh Freddie..." she screamed, her hands clutching the pillow beneath her head. The way she tightened around his fingers made his cock twitch and harden painfully.

He held her hips down with one hand and withdrew his fingers. Sam whimpered at the loss but before she could protest, Freddie plunged his tongue in, his thumb simultaneously rubbing her clit. She screamed as her body shuddered and Freddie lapped up her wetness, his fingers gently massaging her clit as she came down from her high.

Freddie kissed up her body, his lips rubbing against the dots of perspiration all over her body. He kissed her all over face as Sam panted, trying to catch her breath. He was painfully hard and desperate for friction but he would wait until Sam recovered.

Finally, she opened her eyes and smiled up at him, her hand coming up to caress his cheek.

Freddie couldn't take it anymore, he had to have her. He kissed her and Sam's body molded into his, her arms coming around him and her legs wrapping around his waist. He felt her heat through his boxers as their lower bodies aligned and he moaned into her mouth.

"Please, Sam," he said against her lips. "I need to be inside you."

"Then what are you waiting for?" She asked impishly.

He sat up quickly to remove his boxers. His fingers had just hooked around the waistband when crying came through the baby monitor.

Freddie groaned and fell onto his back beside Sam.

"I told you we didn't have much time," she said.

He grunted, not feeling in the mood for an 'I told you so'.

Sam moved to sit up, pushing her sweaty bangs off her forehead. "She needs a diaper change."

"I'll get it," Freddie said, putting a hand on her arm to stop her from getting up.

She looked at him. "You sure?"

"Yeah." His erection had already completely cooled down and he could see that Sam was still a little out of breath.

Freddie kissed her on the forehead as he got up from bed and pulled on his discarded shirt. He made a stop to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face and made his way to the nursery, where Charlie was crying loudly and insistently.

He knew that meant he would be dealing with a very dirty diaper and as he picked up Charlie, the powerful smell coming from her told him he was right.

"What did you eat, baby girl?" He asked, his nose wrinkling up.

Charlie only cried in answer.

"It's okay, princess, I'll clean you up," he assured her as he lay her down on the changing table.

Diaper changing had become second nature for him and Freddie was proud of how fast he could do it. Though Sam could do it faster (they had timed it) and she never ceased to brag about it every chance she got.

It was pretty amazing to him how routine his life now was in the Puckett household. Charlie had turned four months and had finally, mercifully, started sleeping through the night, with only one or two disturbances for either a feeding or a diaper change. It meant that he and Sam had a little more time to themselves and more opportunities for 'adult only' activities that they had started to crave more and more since their amazing first time together at the hotel. Freddie had no complaints in that department though. When you have a baby sleeping in the next room, you found ways to be fast and creative and Sam Puckett had always responded well to challenges. The things she did to him and for him...

Freddie shook himself out of those thoughts as he put a clean diaper on Charlie. He buttoned her onesie and gathered her up to his chest.

"There, there, you're all clean now, princess..." He said soothingly and rubbed her back.

"I think I'm a bit jealous. Remember when you used to call me that?"

Freddie looked up to see Sam leaning against the doorway, looking impossibly sexy in his button down plaid shirt.

"When have I ever called you princess?" He asked.

"Princess Puckett, remember?"

It took a few minutes for it to ring a bell but then he remembered that time they shared the huge locker at Ridgeway.

"I can't believe you remember that," he said.

Sam shrugged, trying to look nonchalant and to outside eyes she would probably have succeeded but he knew better. Charlie had stopped crying and was now happily drooling on his shirt and Freddie walked over to Sam.

"Well, I think you're a queen now," he said lowly, moving right into Sam's space, as much as he could with the baby in his arms.

She looked up at him, intrigued. "Queen? Careful there, Benson, I could get used to that."

He laughed. "I bet you will. My queen and my princess. I'm a slave to you both."

Sam smiled and leaned in to kiss Charlie's head. "And don't you forget it."

"Would you ever let me?"

"Nope."

Charlie started crying and Sam took her.

"What's wrong, baby?" She said. "Did daddy not change you right?"

She inspected her diaper and started rocking her but Freddie just stood there frozen. _Daddy_. The word repeated itself on a loop in his head. He barely noticed that Charlie's cries had quieted until he turned to see Sam sitting in the rocking chair with her. He walked over and kneeled in front of Sam.

"What did you say?" He asked quietly.

She looked at him like he'd gone crazy. "What are you talking about, Benson?"

"Sam...you just called me _daddy_."

Her eyes widened as she seemed to realize for the first time what she'd said. She blushed and looked down at the now sleeping Charlie, adjusting her carefully in her arms.

Freddie put his hand on her knee and looked into her eyes.

"It just slipped out," Sam mumbled. "I didn't mean-"

"No, Sam, please say you meant it. Please."

She met his eyes without wavering for the first time since he started this conversation. "Do you want to be her dad?"

"Yes," he said, squeezing her knee, hoping that she could see in his eyes that he meant it with all of his heart.

Sam stood up and carefully placed Charlie in her crib. Freddie stayed where he was on the ground, his heart beating fast. This was going to be a real turning point in their relationship, he knew. More than moving in together, more than sleeping together, giving him the title of daddy would make their situation truly permanent. He hoped that Sam wanted it as much as he did.

She returned to him and knelt in front of him, placing her hands on both of his cheeks and kissing him so gently and softly but with so much love that Freddie could feel it all. She pulled away and took his hand, standing up and taking him with her.

Sam led him out of Charlie's bedroom, closing the door gently behind her, and into their own. She kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Even though he could feel that they were picking up where they left off twenty minutes ago, Freddie could tell that the mood had changed significantly. Sam took a step away from him and without a word, raised her arms up. He followed her silent request and took her (or rather, his) shirt off, leaving her standing naked in front of him.

No matter how many times he sees it (and he's seen it a lot in the past few weeks), the sight of Sam naked never fails to take his breath away. She's literally the most beautiful thing he's ever seen in his life and he tells her so. He watches the way that her blush spreads from her cheeks to her neck and down her chest. She pulls him in for a kiss before he could comment on it.

Freddie slowly backs her up to the bed, their lips never parting. He lays her down and Sam pushes and tugs at his shirt as he kneels over her.

"I need you now," she tells him as he peels his shirt off. Freddie nods in agreement, wanting nothing more than to be buried inside her heat at that moment. He hurriedly pushes down his boxers and reaches over to the nightstand drawer where he keeps the condoms. Sam's hand stops him.

"I-i'm on the pill," she said. "I have been since a little while before our first time. It should be safe now to go without..."

"Are you sure, Sam?" He asks, even though it feels like all of the blood in his body has rushed down to his dick at the thought of being inside her without any barrier.

She nods and Freddie kisses her. She runs her hands through his hair and moans into his mouth as he deepens the kiss. Her legs open wider and she bucks her hips up. He could feel her slickness graze the tip of his dick and he groaned. He could definitely take the hint, and lined himself up at her entrance. He pushed into her, sheathing himself completely and Sam moaned, her hands going from his hair down to his back.

She was so wet...so tight...so good. Freddie knew he wouldn't last long as her exquisite heat gripped him. He thrusted in and out and Sam met him thrust for thrust, her legs coming up to wrap around his waist.

"Fuck...Sam!" He groaned, as he sank in deeper.

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and her moans were long and deep and so loud that he was afraid they'd wake Charlie. Sam obviously had the same thought as she turned her head to muffle her moans into her pillow.

Her thighs tightened around his waist and he could hear her grunt out "More!".

Freddie pounded into her harder, losing control of himself. She felt so damn good, he wasn't going to last much longer. But he had to get her there first. He braced his hands on the bed on either side of her and pushed himself up slightly so that he was balancing on his knees. He gripped Sam's hips tightly and kept thrusting. The change in angle caused her to buck and scream out.

"Freddie! Yes! Oh my god..." Her hands went up to clench around the bars of the headboard. "Oh god..."

She shook and spasmed around him and he couldn't control himself any longer as her walls clenched tightly around his cock as Sam shook and moaned beneath him.

He leaned down and captured her lips as his own body spasmed in delicious ecstasy and he released himself inside of her. She let out a moan into his mouth as another release shook her body at the feeling of his hot seed inside of her.

Freddie kissed down her neck, licking the sweat gathered there as she rode out the small aftershocks.

Finally, spent, he collapsed on top of her. He tried to move his weight off of her but was stopped by Sam's arms and legs tightly gripping him, keeping him in place. They stayed that way for a few minutes. Freddie's head was pillowed on Sam's chest, and he could hear her rapid heartbeat start to slow down as they just lay there. Sam was stroking his hair and he buried his face in her neck, feeling like he could stay that way forever. But he started to feel Sam trying to shift underneath him and he knew that his weight was getting uncomfortable for her. Freddie carefully pulled out of her and moved to the side, though she whimpered in protest. He gathered her up in his arms and held her close, pulling her half on top of him.

"I love you," he said, kissing her forehead.

"Mmm..." she nuzzled his chest. "Love you too."

He watched as Sam's eyes closed and stroked her hair until she fell asleep. Freddie couldn't keep the grin off his face. _I'm a dad_, was his last thought before he let sleep take him.

* * *

Freddie lay his head back against the couch and tried not to look bored out of his mind. He could see Spencer on the other end of the couch, trying to do the same. Meanwhile, Carly paced in front of them and read things out from her list.

"I already bought half the decorations and I'm going to get the rest tomorrow," she said. "Food is taken care of...Are you sure you sent out all the invitations, Freddie?"

"I emailed every person on the list and sent out mass invites on Splashface."

Carly frowned. "I saw that. I wish more people would confirm whether or not they're going."

"Carls, most of the people on the invite list work at the restaurant, they'll be there."

"Well, what about Sam's friends from school?"

"I'm sure they'll be there too."

Carly went back to her list and he and Spencer exchanged a look.

"Um, Carly..." Spencer said hesitantly. "Are we done here? Because I have to-"

"Sit down!" Carly yelled at him as he started to get up.

Spencer sat down.

"Now, you two agreed to help me plan this party so we're all going to stay here until we get the details right because I want Sam to have the best twentieth birthday party ever. Twenty is a big deal!"

"Actually, Sam said it's a lame year because it just reminds you that you're still one year away from the real party," said Freddie.

Carly glared at him.

"Her words, not mine!"

"Still, I want it to be perfect," she said.

"Carly, it's not a surprise party," Freddie said patiently. "Why don't you just get Sam's opinion on this stuff?"

"Because she'll say she doesn't care. You know Sam, she's never liked planning parties. Well, except for Charlie's now," she corrected. "But for herself? Forget it. That's why I want to make this extra nice and special."

Freddie saw her point. But he had been there at the Shay's apartment for two hours now and he was really eager to get home to Sam and Charlie. He exchanged another look with Spencer but Carly was oblivious to it as she went back to her list and started reading out the stuff she needed them to do. Freddie leaned his head back on the couch again and resigned himself to another couple of hours with dictator Carly.

* * *

Sam's eyes snapped open. Sleep fell away from her like a tide pulling back into the ocean. She looked at the clock. Eleven a.m. It was late, she had overslept. Sam had gotten used to having early mornings since Charlie came and her internal body clock never lets her oversleep anymore. Except, apparently, for right now. It was Freddie's fault. He had woken her up at midnight to greet her a happy birthday. And what a greeting it was...Sam could feel her cheeks flush as she thought about how she and Freddie had thoroughly celebrated early that morning.

She turned to his side of the bed, though she knew that she would find it empty. Freddie liked to go to the gym early on Saturday mornings to work out and then he had fencing practice until noon. Sam wondered why Charlie hadn't woken her up yet and quickly sat up.

She had just pulled on Freddie's discarded shirt that she found on the floor when Freddie walked into the room with a tray full of food in his hands and Charlie inside of a carrier strapped to his chest.

"No no, get back in bed, birthday girl," he admonished.

Sam didn't need to be told twice. She sat back down in bed and pulled the comforter over her lap. Freddie placed the tray over Sam's lap and carefully took Charlie out of the carrier and lay her down beside Sam.

She looked at the food in front of her. Bacon, sausage, pancakes, and hashbrowns...The bacon portion was noticeably large and it was like heaven on a plate. She looked down at Charlie to make sure she was comfortable and in a safe position beside her. When Sam looked up again, Freddie was sitting on the other side of Charlie, having wrestled the carrier off his chest, and he was smiling tenderly at Sam.

"What are you looking at, Benson?"

"Nothing," he smirked. "I just never thought I'd see the day when you would ignore bacon."

"I'm not ignoring it." She picked up a piece and bit into it right in Freddie's face, exaggerating her chewing but not her satisfaction. It was really good bacon. Freddie had gotten her favorite brand and cooked it to crispy perfection. "Mmm..."

He reached for a piece and Sam slapped his hand away. "My bacon!"

"You won't even give me a piece?" He pouted.

"Nope, it's my birthday. All bacon goes here." She rubbed her stomach.

Freddie smiled and kissed her greasy lips. "You are the birthday girl," he agreed.

Sam eagerly dug into her breakfast, practically inhaling her food but stopping now and then to take sips of orange juice and to even feed Freddie a few bites of pancakes and sausage. Freddie had picked up Charlie and he held her in his arms while watching Sam contently.

When the plate was entirely clean, Sam fell back onto the pillows and groaned. "I'm so full," she said.

Freddie chuckled and gave her Charlie so that he could set the tray aside on the floor.

"Can we just lay here in bed all day?" Sam asked. "Just the three of us?"

"Sounds wonderful," said Freddie, kissing her forehead. "But we've got your birthday party, remember? I think Carly would actually kill me if you don't show up."

"Ugh. I told Carly not to make a big thing out of it."

"It is Carly that you're talking to, you know? When it comes to parties, I don't think the word small is in her vocabulary."

Sam groaned again and pressed her face into Charlie's hair.

Freddie pushed her hair back over her shoulder. "Cheer up, baby. I have a present for you."

She looked up at him. "The breakfast wasn't the present?"

He laughed. "No, that wasn't the present."

He leaned over the side of the bed and opened the drawer on his nightstand.

"Hey!" Sam said. "The baby is right here!"

Freddie sat up with a neatly wrapped package in his hands and a confused expression on his face. "I know, Sam."

She looked at the present, which was too big to be what she thought she was.

"Oh," she said sheepishly.

"What did you think it was?" Freddie asked.

"Well, you took it out of that drawer..."

He looked at the drawer and back at Sam, comprehension dawning on his face. He started laughing. "Sam! I keep more than condoms in there."

"Well, I didn't know!"

He laughed harder.

"Shut up!" She grabbed her present from his hands.

"I'm opening this now," she said petulantly.

Freddie finally regained his composure. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Go ahead, open it.

There was a small card on top and Sam silently read it.

_Happy Birthday, Mama._

_We love you._

_From, _

_Charlie and Freddie_

Sam smiled at Freddie, feeling her heart swell with emotion. She held onto Charlie and snuggled into Freddie's side, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Open the present," he nudged.

Sam had nearly forgotten about it. Just having Charlie and Freddie was all she could ask for. But she ripped open the paper anyway. Inside was a disc inside of a clear case. _Sam and Charlie - 4 months _was written on it.

Freddie took the disc from her and walked over to the TV so that he could put it into the DVD player. He settled back down beside Sam with the remote in his hand and played the video.

It started with a montage of iCarly clips. Sam smiled as she watched herself dance around crazily with Carly to their random dancing music, get fed a meatball by Freddie as they sat in a kiddie pool, tumble around doing bad gymnastics, and accept the iWeb Award in Japan. Sam couldn't help but grin as she watched the muddy younger versions of herself and Freddie hug in celebration. The video switched to scenes from Gibby's at Ridgeway. They had filmed some iCarly bits in the underground restaurant as a way to promote it to more Ridgeway students. The scenes switch to the present Gibby's, showing footage of Sam at work that she wasn't even aware that Freddie had filmed. Sam in the kitchen, Sam with the customers, Sam talking to her staff...it looked like it was filmed in the first few months of Gibby's opening. She did vaguely remember Freddie hanging around back then with his small camera but she was so busy at the time that she barely paid him any attention.

"This is kind of stalkerish," she commented.

"I was fascinated," Freddie said. "Look at you, Sam. You're really in your element. And you're doing more work in a twelve hour day than all you've done in sixteen years combined."

Sam smiled. He was right. And if he had told her that back then she might have quit the restaurant altogether. Possibly. Although probably not. She had fallen in love with the job and there was no looking back.

The scenes transition to ones of Charlie and Sam held the baby up higher and pointed to the screen. Sam watched a few shots of a smiling Charlie and then it was her and Charlie. Her playing with Charlie, singing to her, and reading a story. The very last shot was Sam sleeping in her bed with Charlie curled up beside her, also fast asleep. Freddie must have filmed it during one of the nights of her colic when it was almost impossible to get Charlie to sleep in her crib.

Sam buried her nose in Charlie's hair, trying to hold back tears that were inexplicably stinging her eyes.

"What's with the cheesy home video, Benson?" She asked but regretted it when she saw the disappointed look on his face.

"You don't like it?"

"I do. It's nice, it's just...not really me."

"But it is you, Sam. I put this together to show you how far you've come since we were kids starting iCarly. I'm so proud of you, Sam. All of us are, me, Carly, and Spencer. I want you to be proud of yourself too."

"That's just the good stuff," she argued. "Like a fairy tale movie that skips over the hard parts, the real parts. I'm not really like that..."

"Like what?" Freddie asked. "A great friend? A hardworking and fair boss? An amazing mother? The best girlfriend?" He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his forehead to hers. "Because I have references that will attest to all of the above. And not including the hard stuff doesn't mean I don't know it's there. It means that this is the person that you are even through all that messy real life stuff. This is the best of you, Sam Puckett. Get used to seeing it, because I'm not going to stop showing it to you."

The tears that Sam was holding back really did fall now.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Freddie gently wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumb and kissed the spots where the drops landed.

"Not just for the video. But for believing in me. You never once told me that I couldn't open a restaurant or that I can't be a mother. I think you're the only person that's never said that it's crazy or that I can't do it..."

"I've always believed in you, Sam," he said. "And I always will. Happy twentieth birthday, baby."

He kissed her forehead and she laid her head on his shoulder, Charlie still wrapped in her arms. She had the two most important people in her world with her. It was shaping up to be a really great birthday indeed.

* * *

"Why am I stuck carrying the presents?" Freddie grunted from behind a pile of boxes in his arms that reached up to his chin, along with several bags hanging from his arms.

"I'm holding the baby," Sam said, jiggling Charlie in her arms, who gurgled and smiled and grabbed at her shirt.

Freddie walked past her and dropped all of the presents on the couch, letting it all fall where it may.

"Yes, Charlie is such a heavy burden that you can't possibly carry one or two bags as well," he retorted.

"Hey, I'm the birthday girl." She pointed at the ridiculous purple princess crown that Carly had made her wear when she got to the party. Sam only kept it on because it made Charlie happy. The baby had kept laughing and reaching for it, her tiny chubby hands only managing to land on Sam's face. "I get a free pass from heavy lifting."

"Can't argue with that," said Carly, appearing in the open doorway, pushing Charlie's stroller which was filled with presents. Behind her was Ian, who had even more presents in his arms. "But it would have been nice if you guys had waited for us instead of making us take the next elevator."

"Charlie's tired," Sam said, as she rubbed the baby's back, whose head was nestled on her shoulder. "I need to get her to bed."

It may have been Sam's birthday party, but Charlie was the true star of it. All of her friends and employees that had attended were completely captivated by the baby and Charlie basked in the attention. Sam didn't mind, she was never one to yearn to be the center of attention. It actually reminded her of her really early birthday parties that she had celebrated with Melanie. Her twin was the one who greeted and performed for their guests, while Sam sat in a corner and stuffed her face with cake. If she had to have a party then that was the way she'd rather spend it.

Carly shook her head. "I can't even argue now that you have a legitimate excuse," she complained but smiled.

"Thanks for the party, Carls," Sam said, hugging her best friend with one arm.

"Hey, I helped too," Freddie protested, looking up from where he and Ian were neatly stacking the presents on and around the coffee table.

"Yeah, yeah," Sam dismissed.

Charlie started to fuss, squirming in her arms and crying.

"It's okay," Sam soothed. "I'll get you to bed."

Freddie stood up and walked over to them. "Here, I'll take her."

Sam handed over the crying baby and Freddie walked off with her to the nursery.

"So, we'll leave you to it," said Carly. "Happy birthday, Sam."

"Thank you," she said, walking Carly and Ian to the door.

"Happy birthday, Sam," Ian said, hugging her.

"Bye guys," she said.

Sam closed the door and leaned against it. Despite her reservations about having a big party, she had to admit that it was a fun night. It was weird to see the big turn out of people. Back in high school when Carly would throw a party for her she knew that most of the kids were there for Carly and not really for her. But now, all of the people there are a part of Sam's daily life, whether it's at work or at school and she knew that they were there for her.

She had done it. She had really built a life for herself, a life that was her own and that didn't completely depend on Carly and Freddie, though they were a big part of it. The restaurant and all the duties and responsibilities that came with it was hers and hers alone. It wasn't something they tackled as a group, like iCarly, it was something that Sam did. It was still hard to wrap her mind around it sometimes. Twenty didn't feel like such a landmark birthday because Sam felt that she had left her teens the day she opened her restaurant. And she felt like she became a full fledged adult the day she took in Charlie. Twenty was just a passing number.

Sam sat down on the area of the couch that had been cleared of presents and took out her cellphone. She scrolled to Melanie's number even though she knew it was disconnected. She hadn't tried to call her sister for several months now. Not since Freddie had started helping her with Charlie. Sam was still so mad at her sister, and at this point she'd rather skin herself raw than let Melanie anywhere near Charlie, but even through all that, there was still a nagging tug in her chest. Something inside that told her that Melanie is still her sister and it is their birthday. She and Melanie weren't really great at keeping in touch with each other while they grew up on different sides of the country but always on their birthday they would call each other.

Sam looked down at Melanie's name on her phone. She knew her sister wasn't going to call, she felt it deep in her bones. The thing is, even as angry as she was, a part of her couldn't help but hope that Melanie would somehow surprise her. That she'd show some backbone somehow and face up to what she'd done. It was the same kind of stupid hope that had kept Sam by Pam's side as she self-destructed through all of Sam's teen years. A foolish hope that her mother would change. It was the part of Sam that still loved Pam and Melanie no matter what, because they were still her family.

But now she was building her own family, with Charlie and Freddie. And there was no room there for two women who left nothing but destruction and disappointment in their wake. Sam took a breath and deleted Melanie from her contact list. She put her phone down and walked to the nursery, towards the sound of Freddie's voice reading a story, towards her real family.

* * *

**A/N: Don't forget to read all the amazing stories posted in yesterday's mass post. I don't know about you but I'm in Seddie heaven. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I'm really sorry for the long wait again. Bear with me for about two more weeks because the semester is almost over and then I'll have a month long break and I'll try to crank out the rest of this story.

So, the finale was really disappointing. But I haven't given up on Seddie. If anything, my disappointment just motivates me to read/write fic more because hey, someone's gotta fix Dan's stupidity, right? And at this point I like fic!Freddie much better and not whatever it is that Dan & co. have done to his characters. So please, other fic writers out there, I hope you guys haven't given up. I still need some good Seddie fic to read.

Lemon warning for the end of the chapter. It's, um, very M-rated. :)

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

Sam looked up as the door to her office was pushed open. Julie stood there in the doorway.

"Are you still here?" She asked sternly, her hands on her hips. "Don't you have a boyfriend and a baby to get home to?"

"I know, I know," Sam groaned, rubbing a hand over face. "And I want to go home, believe me. I'm just so behind on all of this." She gestured to the piles of paperwork on her desk.

Julie came in and sat down on the chair in front of her desk. "Can I help?"

Sam sighed. "You wanna add up all these numbers?"

Julie made a face. "I hate math."

"My feelings exactly."

"Okay, so maybe I can't help," Julie said. "But I do think you need someone to help out with this stuff."

"You know how I feel about trusting other people with money, Jules," Sam said, putting her face in her hands.

"You can't keep doing everything by yourself, Sam. Maybe it was working before but you have a baby now. You can't pull the all nighters here anymore that I know you used to."

Sam looked up sheepishly. "You knew about that?"

"You practically lived here," said Julie. "Of course I knew."

"I'm so behind on everything," Sam sighed and shuffled the papers in front of her.

"I think maybe you should get a business manager," Julie said. "Someone professionally trained in this stuff."

Sam frowned. "Maybe..."

"Is that Garrett a business manager of some sort? I thought that was maybe why he was coming around so much awhile ago."

Sam had to admit that she hadn't thought about Garrett in awhile. She had been so caught up in her new relationship with Freddie and her daily life with Charlie, that franchising the restaurant had been swept out of her mind. But now that she was faced with all of the backed up work at the restaurant, Sam knew that it was time to get back to reality.

"No. His company wants to franchise Gibby's and he's been trying to sell me on it."

Julie's eyes widened. "Franchising?"

"I'm not going to do it," Sam said quickly.

"Why?"

"Because it's selling out. You don't think it's a good idea, do you?"

Julie shrugged. "From a small business standpoint, probably not. But it could be really good for you."

"It's not just about me though," Sam argued. "It's about all of you and about Charlie."

She sighed. "The only reason I'm even considering this is because of Charlie. If I do this, she would be set, Jules. I won't have to worry about how to pay for her school, soccer clothes, ballet clothes, whatever she wants to do...I could send her to college, or she could travel around Europe if she wants, become a gypsy, a clown...I don't know. I just want her to have what she wants. I want her to have..." she trailed off, gazing at the wall.

"What you didn't have?" Julie finished gently.

Sam nodded. "She's going to have more, Jules. She's not going to be like me or like Melanie. She'll have more than us, she'll have everything."

"Have you talked to Freddie about this?"

Sam rubbed her forehead. "No."

"Why not?"

"I just...I'm not sure if I'm going to do it yet. And I don't want him to try to convince me one way or another. I mean, I haven't even told Gibby yet and he's my partner in this."

"Well, whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll make the best choice and I'll back you on whatever you want to do."

Sam smiled. "Thanks, Jules."

"Now go home to your man!"

* * *

Sam got home to Freddie sitting on the couch, his Pearbook on his lap.

"Hey," he greeted her.

"Hey," Sam said, dropping her bag and falling onto the couch next to him, melting into his side. Freddie wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Did you get your work done?"

"Not even close," she sighed. "Is Charlie asleep?"

"Yeah. I put her down hours ago."

Sam nodded tiredly. "What are you doing?"

"Just revising a paper that I have to turn in tomorrow. I'm done now," he said, closing his laptop and leaning forward to place it on the coffee table. When he moved back he wrapped Sam in both of his arms and she contentedly nuzzled her face into his neck. His warmth and smell made the stress of the day melt away.

"I talked to Carly earlier. She said that she can come over tomorrow to watch Charlie when I go to the restaurant for the meeting. I just need to be back by four because she has a class at four-thirty."

"Mm-hmm..." Sam mumbled into his chest.

"Sam? Are you asleep?"

He got no response and looked down to see Sam asleep on his chest. He kissed the top of her head and carefully rearranged her so that he could get up and lift her onto his arms. He knew that she was really tired when her eyes briefly opened but she made no protest to being lifted in the air, bridal style. She simply wrapped her arms around his neck and Freddie carried her into their bedroom.

* * *

Freddie loved walking into Gibby's. It was such a warm and welcoming environment, filled with happily eating and chatting patrons, and Freddie couldn't help but feel so proud of Sam every time he stepped into this place.

"Hi Freddie," Abby greeted him. "Are you here for a table or to see Sam?"

"To see Sam," he said.

"I think she's in the kitchen right now but you can wait in her office."

"Okay, thanks Abby."

"Charlie's not with you?" She asked.

"No. Carly is watching her at home."

Abby's face fell a little but she was distracted by customers coming in and Freddie made his way to Sam's office. It was empty, which wasn't surprising considering that he was twenty minutes early. He didn't want to bother Sam while she's working in the kitchen so Freddie sat down in her chair to make himself comfortable for the wait.

He spun around a little until he got bored of it. A picture frame sitting next to Sam's computer and partially concealed by a stack of papers caught his eye. He lifted it up and smiled when he saw that it was a picture of Sam, Charlie, and him taken by Carly at Charlie's one month party. He put it back carefully and couldn't help but notice all of the accounting paperwork that Sam had laid out on her desk. She had several Excel spreadsheets printed out and he was amazed at how intricate her accounting work really was. These numbers didn't even make sense to him and he had always been the math genius of their group.

His eyes wandered and found a paper set aside with Sam's messy handwriting scratched all over it. At the top it said "Franchising" and it was divided by pro and con columns. Freddie knew that he shouldn't snoop but he had no idea that Sam was still seriously considering this. And so far the pro column outnumbered the con.

The door opened and Sam walked in. Freddie hastily dropped the paper back onto the desk but it was too late, Sam had seen him with it.

"You're early," she said.

"Carly came by early so I thought I might as well come here." He smiled forcefully.

She crossed her arms. "So that you could sit at my desk and snoop around?"

"That's not what I was doing. Okay, maybe a little," he conceded. "But I didn't mean to. And what's this?" He held up the franchising paper.

Sam shrugged. "I'm sure you can read."

"You're really going to franchise Gibby's?" He asked incredulously.

"I don't know. I'm thinking about it."

"Sam, you hate franchise restaurants. You never eat at them if you can help it and now you're...you're..."

"I'm what?"

"You're selling out!" He exclaimed. "All of the hard work you put into this place and you're just going to let a big company take over? Why would you think this is a good idea?"

Sam bristled. "You're right, I did put a lot of hard work into this place and that's why this is my decision. This isn't something I would do if I had a choice but I have to think about the future, about putting Charlie through school and college. I won't raise her the same way I was. She'll never have the heat turned off on her in the middle of winter, she'll never have to share a slice of bread with the cat because there's no goddamn food in the house, she won't have to steal lunch money from nerds or swipe from her friends. If she wants a bike or a trampoline or a pony then dammit she'll have it. She'll have ten of each for all I care. If I do this then I can give that to her."

Tears had sprung to Sam's eyes in the middle of her spiel and she was breathing hard from the passion of her rant. Freddie knew that Pam wasn't the most responsible mother but he had no idea how bad Sam's home life really was. His heart clenched painfully at the thought of Sam starving at home and how he had always given her a hard time for eating Carly's food and taking money from him when they were younger. He had grown up seeing Sam as this tough and strong girl, even as they got older and he got to see Sam's softer and vulnerable side, he hadn't realized how much she still kept from him.

He stood up and walked over to her, rubbing his hands up and down her arms.

"Sam, Charlie will have everything," he assured her. "She'll want for nothing."

"That's why I have to do this."

"No, you don't. Sam, have you ever thought about the fact that you don't have to do this alone? I have some savings and I have an income. I can help you."

Sam wrapped her arms around herself and stepped away from him. "There were plenty of guys that told my mom that," she muttered.

He looked at her incredulously. "Are you comparing me to the slimey, deadbeat guys your mom has dated?"

"No! It's just...If I've learned anything from my mom, it's that I shouldn't depend on other people for money."

"So are you saying that I can live with you and I can be called Charlie's dad, but I can't contribute money to her education?"

Sam sighed. "It's just that I don't want money to be there one minute and gone the next. I've had that happen, Freddie. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I want to be one hundred percent sure..."

"Why would the money be gone? It's not like I'm going to gamble it away like ninety five percent of your mom's boyfriends have..."

"If you leave then the money goes with you, doesn't it?" Sam said in frustration.

This time it was Freddie who backed away, putting more distance between them. "So it's back to that, is it? You still don't believe me when I say I'm not going to leave, that I'm really in this."

"I want to believe you," Sam said tiredly. "It's just that I can't take any chances with Charlie."

"Then how is this going to work?" He asked. "I can pay half the rent on the apartment but I can't contribute to a savings account for Charlie? I can buy her diapers but I can't set up a college fund for her? What about when you get custody of her, will I ever get to sign co-guardian papers or am I just 'dad' in title only?"

Sam rubbed her forehead. "I don't know Freddie. I haven't thought that far ahead."

"Yes, you have. If you've thought about selling your restaurant to put Charlie through college then you've thought ahead. You've just never put me in the picture."

Sam's eyes flashed. "Look, not everything can be about you! I made it clear when we started this that Charlie is my first priority and I have to look out for her. So I'm sorry if I'm not picturing rainbows and puppies and happily ever after, I have to live in the real world! And if there's anything I've growing up, it's that I have to depend on myself."

"Then what are we doing, Sam? Why am I even here?"

"I didn't ask you to come into our lives! Charlie and I were doing perfectly fine without you being there and making us depend on you..."

"Fine? You were a mess, Sam! You were going to quit school if I hadn't stepped in-"

"So now I owe you?"

"That's not what I'm saying! Why can't you, for once, just admit to needing someone? Why do you have to do everything on your own?"

Freddie didn't know how their fight had devolved into a screaming match but there they were, standing on opposite sides of the room and yelling at each other like they were sixteen and dating for the first time again. Except they weren't fighting about something stupid like who's mom was crazier, they were fighting about something that mattered. If Sam couldn't accept him as a permanent part of her and Charlie's life then why was she even in a relationship with him? It was the question that was foremost in his mind but that he was terrified to ask. So he'll yell something else at her, anything else, to avoid what might be the inevitable conclusion of this fight.

Freddie didn't know how long they stood there yelling at each other but they probably wouldn't have stopped if the door to the office hadn't opened and Spencer walked in. Sam and Freddie stopped shouting, looking at each other and breathing hard. Spencer looked between them.

"Okay," he said, trying to diffuse the tension in the room. "This isn't my apartment and last I checked, we haven't gone back in time four years. What's going on guys?"

"Nothing," they both said.

"Alrighty then..." said Spencer, looking uncomfortable as Sam and Freddie stared each other down. "I'll just go to the kitchen..."

"No, stay," Sam ordered. "Ted and Mrs. Benson should be here any minute now."

And right on cue, Principal Franklin and Freddie's mom walked in behind Spencer.

"Hello Spencer, Sam," Mrs. Benson said. "Freddie!" She walked over and hugged him.

"Hey mom," Freddie said, hugging her back.

He met Sam's eye and they silently agreed to act normal and postpone their argument until after the meeting.

Even as angry as he was, Freddie could admire Sam's professionalism and how in control she was. Watching her speak, you'd never know that she was only twenty years old and still working towards her degree. She seemed to have this business down pat and Freddie could see how Principal Franklin glowed with pride while watching Sam make a presentation of the restaurant's expenses and profits for the past month. When she finished, Freddie talked about the website and showed them the preliminary designs. He tried to act as normal as possible but he could see his mom watching him carefully and looking between him and Sam.

Finally the meeting was over and they said their goodbyes to Principal Franklin, Spencer, and his mom. Freddie stood by the door and looked at Sam as she settled in behind her desk.

"I should get home," he said. "I don't want to make Carly late to her class."

Sam nodded, fixing her attention to her paperwork.

"I'll see you later?"

"Sure Frederly," she said distractedly, not even looking up at him.

Freddie sighed and closed the office door. His head hurt and he felt bone tired as he walked home.

* * *

Sam could feel a headache coming on. She rubbed her forehead tiredly as the words on the papers before her blurred together. She should probably call it a night but she dreaded going home. She wasn't eager to get to round two of her and Freddie's fight. She didn't understand why he couldn't see things from her point of view. Its not that she didn't trust him, it's just that when it came to money and Charlie she had to be completely one hundred percent sure. And in Sam's experience, the only way to get to one hundred percent was by relying on herself.

She pushed away from the desk and raised her arms to stretch them. She might as well go home and get it over with. As she stood up and put on her coat, Sam tried to convince herself that this was for the better. Freddie would be free of his obligation to them and Charlie would be too young to remember that for a little while she had a dad. Sam felt a pang in her chest, the thought of losing Freddie almost too much to bear. But she had to do what was best for Charlie. That was the thought that Sam carried with her as she headed home.

* * *

Freddie tried not to look at his watch again. He knew the minutes hadn't passed since he checked twenty seconds ago. But it was nearing nine and Sam wasn't home yet. He tried not to be that guy, the one that had to know where his girlfriend was at all times and who freaked out if she came home a little late. He knew that Sam was really busy at the restaurant and so he hasn't been saying anything about all the late nights she's been pulling for the past week. Charlie has been getting restless and it was starting to take more time to get her to sleep, she wasn't used to her mom not being there for bedtime. But still Freddie kept silent, not wanting to add to Sam's stress. But now that he knew that she was considering selling out her restaurant just to have more money that she wouldn't need if she just factored him into her life...Well, Freddie was tired of walking on eggshells, too afraid to say or do anything that might make Sam kick him out or reconsider their relationship. He was all in this and he had to know that she was too.

He closed the door to Charlie's room, finally secure that she was fast asleep and that she would stay that way for most of the night. He planned to clean up in the living room a little when he heard the front door close and walked out of the hallway to see Sam lethargically taking off her coat.

"Charlie's asleep," he said.

"Good," Sam replied, hiding a yawn behind her hand.

"About earlier..."

"Look, Freddie, I'm really not in the mood to fight tonight."

"I think we should discuss this." He went over to the coffee table and picked up a small pile of papers and handed it to Sam. "I was saving this for Charlie's first birthday."

Sam read through it and looked up at Freddie. "A savings fund?"

"For college or whatever she wants to do when she turns eighteen. My dad set up one for me when I was a baby and it's paying for my school now. The amount in it is set, neither you or I can touch it except to make deposits."

Sam sank down onto the couch. "Freddie, this is too much money. I can't accept it."

"Well, tough. It's not for you. The money is for Charlie and I want her to have it, no matter what. Listen," he said when he saw Sam about to protest. "I was raised by a single mom and I know that it's hard having to do everything by yourself. My dad died young and unexpectedly but he was a guy that always planned in advance and was prepared for everything, including his own death. And because of that my mom and I have been able to live comfortably and I get to go to college now with no problems. I want to be that kind of guy. You and Charlie are my family and even though you're hardworking and independent and I'm sure you could do all of this on your own if you had to, I want to provide for you. I know you're scared, I know that life experience has taught you that you shouldn't depend on anyone. But I think you should know by now that I'm not like that. We can't keep going on like this, Sam. You have to trust that I'm not going to leave and I can't keep being scared that you're going to push me away. I'm all in this, Sam. You're it for me. I want to marry you someday, I want Charlie to be my daughter legally, and maybe possibly one day give her some siblings. That's what I want. What do you want, Sam?"

Sam stood up and paced, wringing out her hands.

Freddie looked at her worriedly. "Sam?"

"That-that's a lot to take in, Freddie. Get married? We haven't even been back together for that long!"

"I don't mean get married tomorrow. Just one day, in the future."

"I-I can't...I have to think..." She grabbed her jacket and put it on.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I don't know. I just need to get out of here. I need to think!"

"Wait, Sam!" Freddie called but she was gone. Dammit, what had he done?

* * *

Freddie knocked on the door of his mom's apartment urgently. He had to go after Sam and he had a pretty good idea of where she would be but first he needed to take care of Charlie.

His mom came to the door in her robe and her hair mussed from sleep.

"Freddie?" She said. "What's wrong?"

"I need you to watch Charlie for a few hours." He rolled the stroller into the apartment. "Maybe until morning."

His mom looked flabbergasted. "But why?"

"I know it's a lot to ask last minute, but I just got back her to sleep after changing her diaper so she shouldn't give you any trouble through the night. Everything she needs is in her bag; extra diapers, bottles and formula, her favorite pacifier..."

"Freddie." His mom grabbed his shoulders. "Slow down. Why do you need me to watch the baby? Did something happen with Sam? Is she alright?"

"She's fine. I mean, not fine. She's upset but she's fine physically." Freddie took a deep breath. "We had a fight. A pretty bad one. And she ran out of the apartment and I have to go after her. I have to fix this."

"Why don't you sit down for a few minutes," Marissa soothed. "I'll make you some lukewarm tea."

"I don't have time for tea, Mom! I have to go talk to Sam."

"How long ago did Sam leave?"

Freddie looked at his watch. "Almost an hour ago."

"And do you know where she is?"

"I'm not completely sure but I have a good idea of where she would be."

"Well, then. Give the girl some time to cool down and think. And you need to calm down yourself." Marissa sat down on the couch and patted the spot next to her. "Why don't you sit down for a few minutes and talk to me?"

"Mom," Freddie protested, feeling aggravated that she wasn't grasping the urgency of his situation. "I don't have time to talk-"

"Fredward Karl Benson," his mom chided. "I know you think you're such a big man now, living on your own and raising a child. But I am still your mother and you will listen to me when I say sit down because I want to have a serious conversation with you."

Freddie hung his head, feeling cowed, and sat down next to his mother.

"What did you and Sam fight about?"

Freddie sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess I got upset that it still feels like she's not fully letting me in. She's been thinking ahead about Charlie's future and how much it will cost to raise her and put her through school and she's just shouldering the weight of all of that herself. She hasn't even talked to me about it or considered the fact that I could help. It's like she's still expecting me to leave even though I've told her repeatedly that I won't. It feels like she doesn't trust me."

Marissa was silent for a few minutes as she processed all of this. When she finally spoke, it was something that Freddie definitely didn't expect to hear.

"I have to say, I understand where Sam is coming from."

Freddie gaped. "You're taking_ her_ side?"

"This is not about taking sides, Fredward." Marissa frowned at him. "It's just, I'm a single mother and I know how hard it is to let someone into your child's life. I was devastated when your father died. I thought I would never get over it and that I would never love again. And to be honest, I will never love anyone the way I loved your father. But time...time is a funny thing. It passes and the pain you lived with everyday starts to pass in waves. In such small increments that you don't even notice until one day you find the pain isn't fully gone but it's something that you can live with. Something that you barely notice for the most part. I found myself entertaining the idea of moving on. I can't love the way that I did with your dad but maybe I could love someone in a different way."

"But you never dated anyone. Well, other than Lewbert." He made a disgusted face and practically spat out the name.

Marissa smiled. "Oh, I dated. Just never anyone that you knew about. Every time I thought about introducing someone to you...Well, I couldn't do it. I couldn't bear the thought of you getting attached to someone and then losing him. When you're a mother, your child's well being and happiness comes above all else. It's not something that you even have to think about, it's just the way it is."

"I get that. I know that Sam wants to put Charlie first, I do too. That's why I want to help in anyway that I can but she's not letting me!"

"Mothers are very proud, Freddie. When it comes to our children, we want to be in control. I think that's doubly so for Sam, considering the upbringing that she had and her absentee parents."

"I know that it's hard for to trust and to relinquish control. But is it too much to ask for to try?" Freddie asked desperately.

"You can't rush these things, Freddie. It's not going to happen overnight. And if you're serious about sticking around for the long haul then this shouldn't worry you. You have time. Let Sam come around on her own."

Freddie leaned back against the couch. "There's more," he admitted reluctantly.

"More that you fought about?"

He nodded. "We fought about all of that earlier this afternoon. But I said something that sent her running just now. I told her that I want to marry her someday and that I want to have more kids with her. You know, in the future," he added hurriedly.

"Oh Freddie," Marissa said pityingly.

"What? What's so bad about that?" He asked defensively. "It's the truth. It's how I envision our future. Is it so bad to want her to know that? Especially since she's so convinced that I'll leave?"

"Sometimes promises are hard to hear. Especially for someone like Sam who's had so many people go back on their promises to her."

"I intend to keep my promise," Freddie said firmly.

"I know you do. I expect nothing less of you. But you really have to think about this. It's a huge commitment to make."

"Mooom..." Freddie groaned. "We've been over this already."

"You're still so young, Freddie." Marissa continued. "I'm just worried that you're leaping into this too fast."

"I've loved Sam for a really long time, Mom. She's the one, I know it. And come on, you weren't that much older than I am now when you married Dad!"

Marissa looked away. "I suppose you're right. And I suppose..." she said slowly and grudgingly. "You could do worse than Sam."

Freddie grinned for the first time that day. "What was that, Mom? Did you just compliment Sam Puckett?"

"Well, I suppose she has grown into a responsible young lady, with how well has done with the restaurant and all..."

"Admit it, Mom. Sam's grown on you."

"Well." She stood up huffily and walked to Charlie's stroller, where she peered down at the sleeping baby and began to fuss with her blankets.

"Don't think I haven't noticed how buddy buddy you two have gotten. You probably consider her a daughter already," Freddie teased.

"If she's the mother of my granddaughter then she might as well be," Marissa said.

"Mom." Freddie stood up, his face glowing. Marissa turned around only to find herself completely engulfed in her son's arms.

"You're a grandma, Mom," he said into her shoulder. "And I'm a dad..."

Marissa found tears springing into her eyes as she hugged her baby boy tightly. Except he really wasn't her baby anymore.

"You should find Sam now," she said, letting him go and wiping her eyes.

Freddie nodded. "You'll watch Charlie?"

"Of course. You can come and get her in the morning. Go and work things out with Sam."

"Thanks, Mom. I love you."

"I love you too. Now go!" She shooed him.

* * *

There were a couple of places where Sam could be but Freddie had a hunch that he decided to follow.

Gibby's was closed for the night so Freddie took out his spare key that Sam had given him when he moved in with her and went into the side entrance by the dumpster.

The restaurant was completely quiet but the hallway was lit up and Freddie could see that Sam's office door was open a tiny fraction. He knocked and pushed the door open. Sam looked up at him from behind her desk looking exhausted and not at all surprised to see him.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey."

He walked in and sat down in the chair across from her.

"Freddie, I'm not in the mood to-" She stopped suddenly. "Where's Charlie? Did you just leave her at the apartment?"

"No! I didn't leave her! Sam, what do you think I am? I took her to my mom's. She's sound asleep."

Sam settled back down but still scowled at him. "You left her with your mother? She'll be scrubbed raw from tick baths by morning!"

"Well, it's too late to bother Carly or Spencer and come on, give up the act. I know you trust my mom. Don't act mad about this just to avoid what we really need to talk about."

Sam rubbed her forehead. "It's a lot to take in, Freddie. I feel like I'm still getting used to having Charlie and you're there, living with me and talking about marriage and more kids...I'm just twenty! And so are you."

"I know. Believe me, I know. What I said earlier...I didn't mean tomorrow or even the near future. I just meant someday because I do think about these things. I want to be a part of your life and a part of Charlie's life because I'm not going anywhere."

"If I take money from you, I'll feel like I'm depending on you," Sam said honestly. "And I don't like depending on anybody."

Freddie stood up and walked around the desk, stopping in front of Sam's chair, his body in between her and the desk.

"Do you trust me?"

Sam looked up at him, her expression was unreadable and she was silent for a few seconds that stretched out into hours in Freddie's mind.

"Yes," she whispered finally.

Freddie smiled and took her hands, pulling her up and wrapping his arms around her waist. Sam's arms came up around his shoulders.

"At least my heart does," she qualified. "My head wants to run in the other direction."

"I can work with that," Freddie said. "I think I can win your head over eventually."

He kissed her temple and Sam's eyes closed, a little sigh escaping her lips.

"If you really want to franchise the restaurant then do it. I mean, look at the amazing job you've done with it so far. Far be it from me to doubt your judgement, especially when I know nothing about this stuff. But please, don't do it just because you feel you have to. Raising Charlie will be expensive, I know. But we'll figure it out." Freddie leaned back so that he could look into her eyes. "I can't promise you a lot of things, like that we'll never fight or that I'll be a good dad, or even that I'll always be around because, well, look at my dad. He never planned on leaving me and my mom but sometimes horrible things just happen. But I can promise that I'll never leave you in the lurch like your dad did, or your mom's countless boyfriends have. Everything that you said you want for Charlie, I want it too. So let me help you give it to her."

Sam nodded. "Okay," she whispered, leaning her forehead against Freddie's.

"Okay," he whispered back. His lips brushed hers gently, barely grazing them. Sam opened her eyes and looked up at him and he could see the desire pooling there in the blue depths, inflaming his own.

Sam grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him to her, their lips colliding with force and intensity. Freddie wrapped his arms around her, his hands running up and down her back, pressing their chests tightly together. Her tongue pushed against his own and he pushed back, not giving in and letting her have the upper hand like he usually did. Not this time.

They had to pull back for air and Freddie took the opportunity to attack her neck, kissing and sucking. Sam moaned and threw her head back, giving him free access to her pulse point. Freddie's hands wandered up her shirt, feeling the soft, silky skin of her back, stopping just below her bra strap.

"Freddie..." Sam murmured, pulling away, and frantically unbuttoning his shirt. She was pushing it off his shoulders when little bit of common sense penetrated the haze of lust in Freddie's head.

"Here?" He asked.

"Everyone's gone," Sam said, still panting a little.

"No one's gonna come back?"

"Would you go back to your workplace in the middle of the night?"

"Well, you never know...Someone could have forgotten something-"

He made an "Oomph" sound as Sam pulled him in by his neck and crashed her lips against his, effectively shutting him up. Freddie stopped protesting.

He pulled her shirt off of her and turned them around, trapping Sam between his body and the desk. This surprised her enough to give him the upper hand and Freddie took full control of it, deepening the kiss and palming her breasts.

San had one hand gripping his hair and one hand scratching at his back. He pressed his lower body into hers, his erection grazing her hip and Sam moaned. Freddie knew what she wanted, she didn't have to tell him. He could feel it in the way she kissed, the way she responded to his dominance. Sam wanted it rough, fast, and passionate. And he was prepared to give it to her.

Freddie pushed the straps of her bra down her shoulders, his lips trailing kisses down her neck until he reached the full, supple mounds that he loved so much. He cupped one in his hand and placed hot, wet kisses all over it, avoiding the stiff peak in the center that was begging for his attention.

"Freddie..." Sam moaned, her back arching back as she propped her hands behind her on the desk. "Please..."

He took the peak into his mouth and sucked while his other hand came up and kneaded the other breast. After a few minutes, he switched sides and quickly unhooked her bra, letting it fall away and giving him full access to her glorious breasts. Freddie reveled in the way Sam writhed and moaned under his ministrations. But the pressure of his pants confining his now achingly hard dick was becoming too much and he knew he'd have to move this along soon.

Fortunately Sam had the same idea as she pushed him off her and started unbuttoning his pants. He quickly helped her, pushing his pants down his legs and bending down to take them off along with his shoes. When he stood back up he saw Sam removing her own jeans and shoes, leaving her clad in front of him in only her panties. Freddie grabbed her, not being able to stand another second away from her lips. His hands tangled in her hair and their bare chests pressed together as their tongues tangled.

He could feel Sam trying to climb backwards onto the desk and Freddie quickly turned her around instead so that her back was pressed against his chest. He gathered up her hair and pushed it over one shoulder as he licked and nibbled and her ear, making his way down to her neck.

"Is this alright?" He asked, his voice husky and deep with the desire he felt and he could feel Sam shudder.

"Yes. Fuck yes," she said, leaning forward and pushing her ass onto his groin.

He groaned and reached around to rub her through the soaking wet fabric of her panties. He rubbed circles on her clit and Sam moaned and put her hand over his, increasing the pressure. Freddie growled into her neck and roughly peeled off her panties, quickly pulling them down and off her legs. He returned to her clit, rubbing it in a circular motion as Sam cried out and fell forward onto the desk, catching herself on her arms. She moved her hips in time with his hand.

"Freddie...Freddie please..." She begged.

He knew what she was begging for but he wasn't ready to give it to her quite yet. He moved his fingers down, coating them in her arousal, and plunged two in her tight, wet heat. Freddie groaned into her shoulder as he felt her contract around his fingers, his cock twitching as he imagined how it felt to be buried inside her. He used his thumb to rub her clit while he crooked his fingers inside her, finding that special spot.

Sam screamed and clutched the edge of her desk, knocking several things off in the process, as she contracted around him, soaking his hand in her wetness. Freddie continued to rub her as she came down from her high, his touch light and gentle compared to just a few minutes before. Sam turned her head to look at him and Freddie leaned forward to kiss her.

His cock pressed into her ass as they kissed and Sam turned her hips in a circular motion, making Freddie moan into her mouth.

"Sam, I need..." He started to turn her around but she held fast onto the desk.

"No. I want you inside me just like this," she said.

"Fuck," Freddie groaned. How many times had he sat in this office and imagined bending her over the desk. He needed to get in her before he exploded at just the thought.

He stood up and pushed his boxers down, quickly stepping out of them. Sam arched her back up, waiting for him to fill her. Freddie lined up his cock beneath her pussy, not going inside her yet but grinding against her clit, and coating himself in her wetness. She was so hot and ready for him, it was taking all of Freddie's self-control to tease her a little more.

"Freddie!" She screamed.

"What do you want, Sam?" He asked.

"I want you inside me," she gasped. "NOW."

"Alright."

He pressed himself against her entrance, plunging all the way into her in one stroke, making Sam scream and clutch the desk so tightly he could see her knuckles turning white.

As soon as he felt her silky, smooth wetness surrounding him, Freddie lost all self-control. He plunged in and out, taking delight in Sam's moans and the way she pushed back against him.

"God, Sam, you're so tight this way," he grunted, leaning forward to kiss down her spine, licking at the perspiration gathered there.

"You're so big like this," she moaned. "Freddie...Freddie!"

Fuck, he definitely wasn't going to last long like this. He was clutching her hips tightly as he moved in out of her and he moved one hand beneath her to rub at her clit.

Sam screamed and clenched tightly around him as her body shook. The tightness around his cock made him explode and he pressed his hips into her, plunging in completely as he released inside her, making her shudder and moan even more.

Freddie gasped and panted as he laid over Sam's back, pressing her onto the table. After a few minutes he gathered himself enough to shakily stand up, pulling out of her as Sam whimpered at the loss. He gathered her in his arms and shaking fell back onto her chair, Sam on his lap.

He couldn't even speak, he was still breathing so hard. And Sam wasn't doing much better. He laid his forehead on her shoulder and Sam stroked his hair. They sat there quietly until they regained their breaths. Freddie lifted his head.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi." Sam smiled.

"So...make up sex...I have to say, I'm a fan. Definitely a fan."

Sam giggled and swatted at his arm. "If we'd done this years ago, we wouldn't have broken up."

"No," he said seriously. "We wouldn't have."

She noticed the change in mood and stopped laughing. "Freddie..."

He didn't feel like rehashing the past and they really didn't need to. The past was the past and everything that happened led them here. Freddie wouldn't change what they have now for anything.

So he leaned forward and kissed her, telling her all of this without saying a word.

When they pulled away he pressed his forehead against hers.

"My mom agreed to watch Charlie until morning," he said. "We have the apartment to ourselves tonight."

"Then what are we still sitting here for, Frederly?" She stood up and tugged on his hand. "Let's go!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Okay, so I talked to Abby and she and Martin can help you put up the decorations tomorrow morning," Sam said. "Spencer and Gibby will be there as well. Charlie really likes bubbles and Spencer said that Socko has a huge bubble machine. Please, please, please make sure Spencer doesn't do anything to alter it or even touch it."

"How about I call Socko and tell him to bring it straight to the restaurant?" Carly asked.

"Yeah. That would be better. T-Bo said he wants to bring some stuff on a stick, can you make sure its nothing too crazy? And there are going to be kids there, so also make sure he snaps off the sharp ends before he brings them in."

Carly quickly jotted down notes on her notepad. "Got it." She nodded.

"Spencer has been trying to convince me and Freddie for weeks to let him hire some singing clown but Charlie really hates clowns. We took her to the fair a month ago and one gave her a balloon and she just cried and cried and we had to take her home."

"No clowns," Carly said. "Don't worry, I'll have a word with my crazy brother."

"Okay, music. Have you listened to the music that Ian put together? Will you remind him to only have kid friendly stuff? It's not like Charlie will understand but some of the people who are bringing their kids might be bothered."

"Ian knows, you've reminded him enough." Carly put down her notepad and pen. "Sam, I can't believe I'm saying this but you need to relax. You're being...well, you're being like me."

"I just want it to be perfect," Sam sighed. "It's her one year birthday party, Carls. My baby is a year old."

"I know." Carly smiled. "I should go, I need to stop by Spencer's and make sure he hasn't burned half the decorations or something. But you should get some rest, Sam. Don't spend the night obsessing. I'll take care of the little details and everything will be perfect tomorrow, I promise."

"Okay," Sam said, stepping forward to hug her best friend. "Thanks Carls."

She walked Carly to the door and looked around the quiet apartment. Freddie had a meeting with some new clients and he wasn't back yet and Charlie was asleep. Now that Charlie was moving around and talking, this apartment rarely saw any peace and quiet. Sam made her way to Charlie's room, carefully stepping over the hallway baby fence.

Charlie was sleeping in her crib. The beautiful wooden crib that Freddie had bought. It wouldn't be too long now that Charlie would be too big for the crib and they would have to get her a bed. She was growing so fast. Sam couldn't believe it, it was like the entire year had zoomed by. She could still remember the day she had first crawled, and when she took her first steps. She and Freddie had both cried. Now it wouldn't be long until Charlie could completely walk on her own and wouldn't need the furniture to help her or a hand to hold. But hands down, the best moment so far this year was Charlie's first word.

Since Charlie had started regularly babbling and making baby sounds, Sam and Freddie had been in a competition to try and get Charlie's first real word to be "Mama" or "Dada". Freddie had the advantage of being home with Charlie all day during her waking hours but Sam liked to think that she and Charlie had a special mother-daughter bond and she was determined to win. They would each spend hours with Charlie, saying "Mama" or "Dada" over and over again, trying to get the baby to repeat the word. Sam and Freddie had never made an official bet of it but they both knew that whoever won would get infinite bragging rights. They never would have predicted what Charlie's first word actually would be.

Sam had been practicing a complicated black forest cake recipe in the kitchen that she needed to perfect for her class, while Freddie sat on a stool with Charlie trying to get her to say "Dada".

"I hate working with shortening," Sam grumbled as she prepared the batter, dropping an entire stick of shortening into the mixing bowl.

"Dada...Come on Charlie, say dada..." said Freddie, as he held Charlie under her arms so that she was standing on his knees.

"Stop that," Sam snapped. "Don't force her, you're probably annoying her."

"You try to get her to say mama all the time! You spent two hours straight last night repeating the word to her."

"Her first word should be mama. I held her first, I have dibs!"

"That's not how it works," Freddie protested. "Dada..." He said to Charlie. All she did was smile and reached out to grab his nose.

"Yes, that's dada's nose," Freddie said. He lightly pinched Charlie's nose. "That's Charlie's nose. Can you say nose?"

"Now that's just pathetic." Sam rolled her eyes. "Her first word is not going to be nose."

"Aa...ba...ba..." Charlie cooed, stomping her feet on Freddie's thighs.

Sam dropped her spoon to stare at Charlie but was disappointed when the baby didn't say anything more.

Freddie grinned widely though. "She said baba! That's close to dada. She's getting there. He wrapped an arm around Charlie's waist and held her close. "Say dada..." He said to her. "Come on Charlie, dada..."

Sam went back to her cake, pouring the rest of the ingredients into the mixing bowl. She turned the stand mixer on but let out a yelp when the batter suddenly sprayed all over the place. She quickly turned it off but most of the cake batter was splattered all over Sam's apron and a good deal was on her face and hair.

"Chiz!" She yelled as she attempted to wipe herself off with a towel.

Freddie and Charlie both stared at her, and Freddie was trying really hard to hold in his laughter.

"I think you turned the speed on too high," he said.

"You think?" Sam glared at him.

"Hey, Sam, you've got a little something here..." He pointed at his face, no longer able to contain his laughter at his girlfriend's chocolate smeared face.

"Yeah, laugh it up Benson," she growled. "We'll see how funny it is when you're sleeping on the couch."

Freddie stopped laughing.

"Sorry," he said, his lips still twitching. "No, really, I'm sorry!" He said when Sam kept glaring at him. "Why don't you jump in the shower and I'll clean up here?"

Sam looked down at the messy counter and her nearly empty bowl. "I guess I can't salvage much from this," she sighed.

"Try again tomorrow," Freddie encouraged. "You were tired anyway, since you've been at work all day."

"Yeah all right," Sam agreed, taking off her apron and tossing it on the counter.

She had just turned away when a little sound caught her attention.

"Chish!"

Sam turned back. "Did she just say...?"

"Chiss..." Charlie gurgled happily, smiling up at Freddie.

Sam and Freddie looked at her and then at each other.

"She said her first word!" Sam cried, rushing over to take Charlie.

"Yeah...but..." Freddie weakly protested as Sam kissed Charlie's cheek, smearing chocolate on her.

"Who's a big girl?" Sam cooed. "Who can talk now?"

"Sam..." Freddie tried to cut in.

"I should call Carly! What are you just sitting there for? Get your video camera! Isn't it practically glued to your hand? Why didn't you have it for this?"

Freddie opened his mouth but Sam quickly pushed the baby back into his arms.

"I'm going to get my phone, try to get her to talk again so Carly can hear!" Sam ran to the bedroom and was back a minute later, her phone up to her ear.

"Carly!" Sam cried. "Charlie said her first word! Yeah, she did! Just now. Hold on, I'm going to try to get her to talk again." She pressed the speaker button and held the phone near Charlie's face.

"Come on baby, can you talk again? Let Aunt Carly hear you..."

Charlie turned her face away from the phone, her hand fisting on Freddie's shirt collar.

"Is she saying something?" Carly asked. "I don't hear anything."

"No, I don't think there'll be a repeat performance tonight," Sam said. "Sorry Carls."

"Well, who won then? Did she say mama or dada?"

Sam and Freddie looked at each other, it seemed to dawn on Sam suddenly exactly what Charlie's first word was.

"Um, she didn't say either," Freddie answered.

"What did she say then?"

Freddie raised an eyebrow to Sam, silently telling her to answer.

"She said chiz..."

"What?" Carly asked.

"My baby's first word was chiz," Sam said, sitting down on a stool. "Her first word is technically a bad word..."

They could hear Carly laughing through the phone.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," she said.

"Technically, it was your fault," Freddie told Sam.

"Shut up, nub," she snapped.

"Naabb..." Charlie said.

Freddie's eyes widened, Sam slapped her forehead and Carly laughed hysterically through the phone.

Sam had felt horrible for hours afterward, but Freddie convinced her that it wasn't a big deal, Charlie was just repeating sounds she heard and there was no big hidden meaning to a baby's first words despite what the parenting magazines in the pediatrician's office said. Sam felt better after Freddie's talk but what really cheered her up was when Charlie said "mama" two days later. Whenever anyone asked, that's what Sam claimed her first word was. Or even when they didn't ask. Of course, she also said "dada" a few minutes later but Sam didn't let Freddie forget that she came first.

Sam stared at Charlie, sleeping so peacefully. She was so big now but it felt like just yesterday when Sam had held her for the first time. How did time move so fast? Charlie was quickly leaving infancy now; she was walking, talking, eating baby food, and outgrowing clothes almost faster than Sam could buy them. Soon she'd be potty training and then going to daycare and she wouldn't be a baby anymore. The thought made Sam's heart clench painfully and her eyes sting with tears.

"Hey," a voice said softly behind her.

Sam quickly tried to wipe away her tears but she wasn't fast enough for Freddie's eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Nothing," she said.

"Sam..."

"It's just...Charlie's getting so big."

"Yeah, that's generally what babies do." Freddie smiled.

Sam sighed. "It's just happening so fast! One minute she was this tiny baby and now she's a year old. Soon she'll be potty training and going to school and then she'll be old enough...well, she'll be old enough to know that we're not her real parents. What are we supposed to tell her, Freddie?"

Freddie turned Sam around to face him. "First of all, we are her real parents. Granted, we're not her biological parents but Charlie is our daughter in every way that matters. When she's older, we'll have to try to make her understand that. But that's still a long way away. We have time, Sam," he said, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear and caressing her cheek.

Sam nodded, wrapping her arms around Freddie's waist and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Carly told me you've been obsessing about the party."

"I want it to be perfect," Sam mumbled into his neck.

"And it will be. You've done everything you can to make sure that it will be an amazing birthday party. Tonight I want you to just relax. How about I draw you a bubble bath?"

Sam leaned back to look at him. "You like bubble baths more than I do and that's because you're the girl in this relationship."

"I like bubble baths when I take them with you! It's not like I take them by myself," he defended. "And how about I make you a ham sandwich to eat in the bath?"

"How about three sandwiches?"

"Of course." Freddie smiled, kissing her nose. "Come on." He took her hand and led her out of the room.

"Are you sure you're not just trying to get me naked, Freddifer?"

"Well, there is that..."

X

Freddie rolled over expecting to find a warm body to cuddle into, instead he was met with empty space. He opened his eyes. It was still dark in the room but Sam was nowhere in sight. He sat up and looked at the bright red numbers of the clock. It read 3:17.

Freddie pushed the comforter off of himself and got out of bed. He had two guesses as to where Sam could be. After a quick stop to the bathroom, he made his way to the place of his first guess. Charlie's room.

The door was wide open and sure enough, there was Sam sitting in the rocking chair, a small blanket in her lap. She slowly rocked backward and forward, staring into the crib where Charlie lay, fast asleep.

"Sam," Freddie whispered, coming over to kneel next to her. "What are you doing?"

"I wanted to be here when she turned one," Sam said softly.

"You've been here since twelve?" He asked incredulously.

Sam nodded.

"And she hasn't woken up?"

"Just for a diaper change. But I got to say happy birthday."

"Then how about we go back to bed?" Freddie asked. "Charlie won't be up for hours yet."

Sam looked down at him, running her hands through his hair gently.

"Go back to bed," she said. "I think I'll stay."

Freddie shook his head but positioned himself so that he was sitting indian style at Sam's feet and leaned back to rest against her legs. He may not understand Sam's whims sometimes but it didn't mean that he didn't want to be wherever she was, no matter what.

"What are you doing, Freddie?"

"Same thing you're doing," he replied. "Watching our one year old baby sleep."

Freddie couldn't see Sam's expression but he knew he must have done something right when he felt Sam leave a lingering kiss on the top of his head. She continued to run her hand through his hair as they sat there watching Charlie. Freddie had to admit, this was just as nice as lying in bed with Sam. As long as he was with Sam and Charlie, he could be happy anywhere.

And that was why he was thinking of doing the most insane thing he could possibly do. But he tried not to think about that as he sat there and enjoyed the feel of Sam's fingers lightly massaging his scalp. He just kept his eyes on Charlie and watched the gentle rhythm of her breathing.

X

Carly couldn't believe her eyes. Gibby's had been completely transformed. The tables and chairs had been set aside and decorations were up. Charlie loved animals so the party had a safari/marine theme, with pictures and banners of all of Charlie's favorite animals: elephants, giraffes, dolphins, and otters. It was hard to find this mixture of animals at party stores and when several sales clerks tried to force princess themes onto Sam at several of the stores they went to with the result of Sam threatening bodily harm on them with the use of said princess decorations, Carly thought up the solution of having Spencer draw the animal designs and they would just custom make the decorations.

When Carly set out for the restaurant she thought she'd have her work cut out for her but Sam was already there, supervising her staff, as well as Spencer and Gibby, as they put up decorations.

She walked over to Freddie and lightly hit his shoulder with the back of her hand. "Freddie! You were supposed to keep Sam away until the party started."

He held his hands up. "I tried! But I couldn't get her to stay home." He turned his attention back to the helium pump that he was using to blow up balloons.

"Well, where's Charlie?"

"She's with my mom. Sam's going to pick her up and get her dressed right before the party starts."

Carly sighed in resignation. "I guess I'll go wrestle my job from Sam..."

"I think she'll hand it over gladly. She's been eager to get to the kitchen, but she doesn't want to leave these, and I quote, 'doofuses' unsupervised."

"What about you?" Carly asked.

"I think I fall under the doofus category."

"Right." Carly laughed. "Well, I'll leave you to your balloons."

"Wait." Freddie grabbed her arm and looked over at Sam, who was facing away from them and talking to a couple of people. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Uh, sure."

"Not here." He led Carly to the hallway, careful to keep out of Sam's sight, and into Sam's office where he gently closed the door behind them.

"Okay, what's with the secrecy?" Carly asked.

Freddie took a deep breath. "I want to ask Sam to marry me."

Carly's eyes bugged out. "WHAT?"

"Shhh!" Freddie looked towards the door.

"What?" She asked at a more normal volume.

"I know, it sounds crazy and maybe it's a bit soon-"

"Um, yeah! Freddie, you're twenty years old! You're both still in school!" She cried.

He gestured with his hands for her to keep it down. "I know all of that. And I know I've told Sam that this marriage stuff wouldn't be until one day in the future. But we've been together for nearly a year now and...this is it for me, Carly. I know Sam's the one. Why wait when I already know?"

"Because you're still young? Because you haven't graduated yet and...and..." Carly trailed off, trying to think of more reasons.

"And what? We're already living together, we're raising a kid together, we both have jobs. What would really change except that we'll be husband and wife, legally bound together? We're practically married already, you and Spencer tease us about it all the time, why not just get the piece of paper already?"

"Freddie, this is a huge decision," said Carly, still trying to think of ways to talk him out of this but she couldn't help but melt at the earnest, completely lovesick expression on his face. No, it was her duty as their best friend to talk Freddie and Sam out of doing crazy things. She was the voice of reason in their group, that was her job. But if they got married, she would for sure be the maid of honor and she could plan the bridal shower and pick out her dress...

Carly shook her head to snap out of it. She could see the triumph in Freddie's eyes. He knew that he had won her over.

He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and took out a ring box.

Carly's eyes widened again. "You bought a ring?"

"Well, I can't propose without a ring, can I?"

"What, do you just carry it around with you?"

"No, I just brought it to show you. I'm going to bring it home later."

He opened the box and Carly was absolutely mesmerized by the princess cut diamond. It was a simple diamond set on a platinum band. It wasn't a large stone, just perfect for Sam's hand and it had two small diamonds set into the side of the middle stone.

"What do you think?" Freddie asked anxiously.

Carly put her hands over her mouth and blinked back a tear. "It's perfect," she said. "Oh, it's so perfect for Sam..."

He sighed in relief and closed the box, quickly putting it back in his pocket. Carly almost whimpered at the loss of the pretty stone. She didn't even get to touch it. But Freddie was talking and she had to pull herself out of her diamond induced haze to listen to what he was saying.

"...you have no idea how long I searched for a ring. I think I've been to every jewelry store in Seattle."

"Yeah yeah," Carly waved him off. "Freddie, I have a very important question and you have to answer me honestly."

He nodded seriously.

"How many karats is that diamond and how much was it?"

"Carly!" He admonished. "That's personal information!"

"That a best friend and a maid of honor should know. Frankly, I'm a little insulted that you didn't take me ring shopping with you."

"Because you would have fixated on one ring that YOU want, making it impossible for me to drag you out of the store and I would never have been able to find my ring for Sam."

"Well!" Carly frowned, trying to think of a counter to that argument.

The door opened and Freddie turned around quickly to face Sam, standing in the doorway.

"Carly, you're here!" She said happily but her expression quickly turned suspicious. "What are you guys doing?"

"We were uh..." Freddie looked to Carly for help.

"I was getting Freddie's opinion on my present for Charlie," Carly said, thinking quickly.

"And you need to do that in here?"

"It's just...a little loud out there," said Carly.

A loud yell from Spencer and a crash helpfully illustrated her point.

Sam looked out into the hallway. "Whatever," she said hurriedly. "Can you control your brother and the rest of the idiots out there, Carls? I need to go to the kitchen. And you," she pointed at Freddie. "Are you done with the balloons yet?"

"Almost," Freddie said.

"Well, hurry up!" She snapped. "Come on, people, the party starts in three hours! Vamonos!"

Carly and Freddie quickly walked past Sam and back into the main room of the restaurant.

"So that's what dictator Sam is like," Carly muttered to Freddie.

"Try living with her," he said.

"It must not be so bad. You want to do it forever."

Freddie grinned widely. "Yeah, I do."

Carly rolled her eyes at his goofy expression. "Get back to work or you might not live until tomorrow."

Freddie saluted and went back to his balloons and Carly turned around to see that Spencer had set part of a banner on fire. She grabbed a bucket of water that Sam conveniently had ready and waiting on top of a table. It was going to be a long day...

X

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Charlie..."

Sam grinned as she held Charlie over her cake, the entire restaurant full of their friends singing to her baby.

"Happy birthday to you!"

She leaned over to blow out the candle for Charlie as everyone clapped.

"Cut the cake!" Carly said excitedly, putting down her camera for a moment to practically shove the knife into Sam's hand. "Freddie, get over here!"

Freddie handed his handheld video camera to Gibby beside him and walked over to the other side of the table.

"Okay, now you guys cut the cake as a family so I can take pictures," Carly said.

Freddie took the knife from Sam and positioned it over the cake. Sam adjusted Charlie's princess crown that was starting to fall over the baby's eyes and they smiled for Carly's camera.

"Mamaa..." Charlie said, once they had cut the cake and had started to pass it around to their friends.

Sam looked down. "What is it, baby?"

Charlie only cuddled into Sam's neck in response, rubbing her face sleepily against it.

"She's tired," Sam said to Freddie. "If I don't get her out of here and into bed, she's going to start throwing a fit soon."

Freddie smiled, knowing all too well how temperamental Charlie could get when she was tired and sleepy. It seemed to be a common trait among the women in the Puckett family, not that he would ever tell Sam about that particular observation.

"Take her home," he said. "Carly and I will hold down the fort here."

"But clean-up..." Sam protested. "I need to get this place back to normal for business tomorrow."

"Julie and Gibby will take care of it," he assured her. "And if you're really worried, then I'll go home once everyone leaves and you can come back here to check on how clean-up is going."

"Okay," Sam relented once Charlie let out a little whimper. "Thanks."

Freddie kissed her forehead and then the top of Charlie's head. "Go, I think the birthday girl has had enough excitement for one day."

After saying her round of goodbyes to her guests, which was starting to feel like it would take all night until Charlie started crying, Sam made her exit from the restaurant, the baby snuggled contently in her arms. Charlie had been the star of the night and as usual, she basked in the attention, happily smiling and jabbering in her baby talk to Sam and Freddie's friends. But the afternoon turned to evening and babies only had so much energy and Charlie was well and truly partied out. As they said goodbye and people tried to hug and kiss Charlie one last time, she absolutely refused to leave her mother's arms.

Sam quickly walked the two blocks to her apartment building and went straight up to her apartment and into Charlie's room. She changed Charlie out of her party dress and into her onesie and read her a story. She fell asleep much more quickly than usual and Sam tucked her into her crib, feeling her own exhaustion suddenly sweeping through her bones.

She turned out the lights in the room, leaving only the nightlight on, and went into the living room, collapsing onto the couch. The party had taken her two weeks of planning and careful preparation and she was more than a little relieved that it was over. But she also felt a little sad, it was the last first birthday party Charlie would ever have. Logically Sam knew that there would be many many birthdays to come but she couldn't help but think that Charlie would only turn one once.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and Sam looked at it, wondering who it could possibly be. Everyone she knew was still at the party. She got up and opened the door, her heart stopping as she faced the person on the other side of the it.

"Melanie..." She muttered.

"Hi, Sam," her sister said.

* * *

**A/N: Yep, Melanie's back. :) I know this is an evil place to leave off but my very last final of the semester is tomorrow and I'll have much more time to write. So I promise I'll try not to leave you guys hanging for long. Leave a review and let me know what you think. :D**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Hi, Sam," Melanie said. "Can I come in?"

Sam was too shocked to try and stop her sister as she walked right past her.

"What are you doing here?" Sam demanded.

"I...I wanted to see Charlotte. It's her birthday, I brought a present." She reached into her large bag and took out a perfectly wrapped pink present with a matching pink bow on it.

Sam took the present and threw it on the couch.

"Sam!" Melanie exclaimed.

"One year, Melanie. It's been a year since you abandoned your baby. You've never stopped by, never once called to check up on her. In fact, you disconnected your number and made yourself unreachable to me. And now you think you can just show up with a present?"

"I was a mess, Sam. I was in no fit state to be a mother."

Sam rolled her eyes. "You're telling me," she muttered.

"But I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past year and I...I feel like a part of me is missing, Sam. Please, can I just see Charlotte? Just once?"

"We call her Charlie," Sam said. "And no you can't. We threw a party for her at the restaurant and she was really wiped out. She's sleeping now."

"Maybe I can come back tomorrow?" Melanie asked tentatively.

Sam sighed heavily. "You can't do this, Mel. You can't just drop in and out of Charlie's life. Being a mom is a full time job and you gave it up the day you left Charlie here."

"But you can't keep her away from me!" Melanie protested. "I'm her mother, I gave birth to her-"

"Were you here the week that you left her and she wouldn't stop crying for you? Did you stay up all night with her when she had colic? Were you here when she took her first steps or said her first word? Yeah, she talks now," Sam said off of Melanie's astonished look. "Do you know her favorite bedtime story or her favorite song? Do you know that she likes mashed carrots, hates mashed peas but loves them mixed together? You don't know any of that because you weren't here. You left her!"

Tears had started to flow down Melanie's cheeks in the middle of Sam's speech and Sam only rolled her eyes, not for a minute believing any of her sister's theatrics.

"I'm her mother, Melanie. I'm the one that was there for all of that. I'm the one that she calls mama so you can just go back to Princeton, live your life, become a doctor and pretend that we don't exist. That's what you're good at, right? Pretending your family doesn't exist? You've been doing it your whole life, why stop now?"

"Sam, please..." Melanie whispered.

"Get out of my house," Sam said firmly.

"I just want to see my baby..." she pleaded.

"The answer is no."

"I'm her mom!"

"Tell that to my lawyer," Sam snapped back. "I believe he had a colleague in New Jersey hunt you down at Princeton and you didn't contest the custody papers. In fact, you signed them gladly. What happened, Mel? Did the new guy that you were dating dump you and now you're having a crisis of conscience? It doesn't matter, it just made it easier for me to get full guardianship of Charlie, even though I was going to get it anyway, with or without your permission. If I say you can't see Charlie then you can't see her. Now get out."

Melanie turned and walked out but suddenly turned around at the door. "This isn't over, Sam. I'm not leaving Seattle without at least seeing my baby."

Sam shrugged. "Too bad I don't believe you."

She promptly shut the door in her sister's face.

X

Sam sat on the couch and wasn't aware of time passing by. A cold fear gripped her stomach.

Logically, she knows that Melanie can't really do anything to get Charlie back. Sam would have easily gotten custody of the baby because of Melanie's abandonment but Attorney McBride was overjoyed that his colleague was able to find Melanie and get her signature on the papers. It meant that Melanie was willingly handing over her rights to the baby and Sam would have solid custody. If Melanie was suddenly experiencing a change of heart then she would have to put up a hell of a fight in court and Sam would fight right back. And she had no intention of losing.

And yet still, Sam didn't like the idea of there being a threat at all. Why did Melanie have to come back? Why couldn't she just leave them alone? Sam sat there, lost in her thoughts until Freddie came home.

He pushed Charlie's stroller in, full of presents.

"Hey, Sam," he said. "There's more presents at Gibby's. I figured you could bring some home with you later or have someone help you carry it all here tomorrow. In the meantime, the guys stacked them in your office...Sam?"

Sam looked up at him, she didn't hear a word that he said.

"What's wrong?" Freddie asked.

"Melanie was here," she said.

"What?" He exclaimed. "What did she want?"

"She wanted to see Charlie."

"Well, did you let her?"

"No! I didn't let her!"

"Good," Freddie said, sitting down beside her. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know. What if she tries to take Charlie back? Once Melanie gets an idea in her head, its hard to talk to her out of it. If she's having some sort of crisis of conscience and has suddenly decided she wants to be a mother after all..."

"She signed over the custody papers to you, Sam. She can't get Charlie back, not without a fight."

Sam sighed and rubbed her hand over her face. "Maybe I should start the adoption process, it's going to be long but if it means that Melanie can't come anywhere near Charlie..."

"You know," Freddie said hesitantly. "If we got married it would speed things up..."

"What?" Sam shook her head disbelievingly. "Did you just 'if we got married'?"

"Well, yeah..."

Sam laughed. "That's your solution? Get married?"

"Is it so crazy? We've talked about it before."

"Yeah, in the future maybe. When we're older and out of school. Not as some quickie solution to a custody problem. This is serious, Freddie!"

"And I am being serious. Sam, we're practically married already. So what if we're young and still in school? We both have incomes that will support Charlie and each other. And we could make Charlie officially and legally our daughter."

Sam stood up and walked to the kitchen, Freddie followed behind her. She tore open the fridge and took out the leftover ham that she had saved. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Since when did she have to be the reasonable one in this relationship?

She finished her ham while Freddie sat in front of her, lost in his thoughts. He looked so upset and worried that it tore at Sam's heart. She went over to him, rounding the counter to stand in front of him, right in between his legs. She put her hands on his face.

"Look, we're probably getting worked up over nothing. Melanie just said she wanted to see Charlie, not take her. Either way, we're not going to let her near Charlie and she'll probably just give up soon and go back to her life in Princeton."

"I'm sorry for-"

Sam kissed him. "Let's just take a bath, okay? It's been a long day."

Freddie nodded.

She sauntered off to the bedroom, aware that Freddie was watching her go. "I'll run the bath, you bring the ham," she called behind her.

X

Freddie was losing his mind. He'd screwed up. He'd really really screwed up. Blurting out that they should get married out of fear that Melanie would take Charlie was _not _in his plan. That wasn't the way he wanted to propose, if it could be considered a proposal at all. Sam didn't seem to take it seriously, not mentioning anything about it for the rest of the night. And why should she? It had to be the worst proposal in the history of proposals. But Freddie supposed that it was a good thing that Sam didn't think he was serious. It means that his real proposal will still be a surprise.

But first he had to take care of the Melanie problem. He put Charlie down in her playpen and gave her a few toys so that she wouldn't complain. She much preferred to crawl/walk around the living room now than to be "trapped" inside her playpen, as Sam put it. He picked up his cellphone and scrolled down to the number he wanted.

"Hi, Mr. McBride. It's Freddie Benson," he said. "There's something really urgent that I need to talk to you about..."

X

Sam was in the kitchen when she was called to her office because her twin was there. Abby was astonished as she looked between Sam and Melanie. The staff knows that Sam has a sister because she's had to explain Charlie but the fact that she and Melanie are exactly identical still catches most people off guard.

"What do you want, Melanie?" Sam asked, placing herself behind her desk but not sitting down.

"I want to see Charlie," Melanie said simply.

"Well, she's not here."

"You know what I mean, Sam."

"I told you. It's not gonna happen, Mel."

"I thought I'd give you a night to think over things, to maybe see it from my perspective..."

"Your perspective? You abandoned your baby a year ago, Melanie. And now you're back and you want to see her...for what? So that you can confuse her? Mess with her head and then leave again? I'm not letting it happen!"

Melanie crossed her arms. "Why? Are you afraid she'll mistake me for you? Or that she'll like me more?"

"Don't turn this into a twisted competition. This isn't about me and it isn't about you. This is about Charlie and what's best for her. She's smart, Melanie. She's so smart. I think she gets it from you," she conceded softly. "She picks up on things so easily. She gets attached to things and to people. I'm not going to let her get attached to you and have you leave. You're so much like Dad, Mel. I'm not saying this to insult you or to hurt you but it's fact. You know what it was like for us when he left. Do you really want that for Charlie? Do you want to put your daughter through that?"

Tears were in Melanie's eyes, silently slipping down her cheeks. She sat down heavily on one of the chairs in front of Sam's desk.

"Of course I don't want that for her. I just feel so..." She swiped at her tears and Sam pushed a box of tissues across the desk, taking a seat herself. "Most days I feel glad that I gave you my baby. I've decided that I want to be surgeon and that's going to take so much more time and so many hours after I'm done with med school. There's no way I could do it while raising a small child on my own, it would be impossible. I tell myself that I did the best thing. But then I'd be studying late at night or celebrating the end of finals at a bar with friends and I'd feel this guilt creep up on me so suddenly. I'd think about Charlotte at the most random moments, wondering how she is and what she looks like. Does she look like me or like...like Eric," she practically whispered the name. "That's the name of her father."

"Have you heard from him?" Sam asked.

Melanie shook her head. "We had a mutual friend that introduced us but he avoids me now. He doesn't want to tell me where Eric is or what he's up to and Eric certainly hasn't tried to track me down. I certainly know how to pick em, don't I?"

"Charlie looks like you," Sam said softly. "Just like you. Except her eyes are green now."

"Eric's eyes," Melanie almost sighed. "I really thought he was the one, you know? It wasn't just a one night stand. We'd dated for over six months and I'd fantasize about how maybe he'd propose after I graduated. I thought about moving into the city to be near him. He used to get so edgy when I tried to talk to him about things like that, I should've known."

Sam couldn't help but think of Freddie and how it was him that was always talking about the future and marriage and more kids one day. Her heart stuttered as she thought about his almost proposal the night before. And how much she wanted to say yes if only she knew that he wasn't just doing it because he was afraid of losing Charlie.

"What do you want, Melanie? You gave me guardianship of Charlie and one day I'm going to adopt her. You've already made it clear that your career comes first. So what is it that you really want?"

"I don't know. Why can't I just see her? Maybe then I can decide..."

Sam shook her head, her heart hardening towards her sister once more. "Not good enough, Mel."

Melanie could see Sam's walls going back up and her temper flared. "I called Carly last night, you know. She filled me in on you and Freddie. It must be nice, huh? You've got your instant family. You don't have to deal with a boyfriend that ups and leaves you. You didn't have to go through fourteen hours of excruciating labor to have a baby. You've got this perfect little life and you don't want me screwing it up."

"Yeah, you're not helping your case right now."

"You're playing house with my kid, Sam! Mine! You can't keep her away from me forever. If you're not going to let me see her then...then..."

"Then what, Mel? What are you going to threaten me with?"

"Maybe I'll take her back!"

"Take her back?" Sam asked incredulously. "Like what? Like she's a toy? Or maybe a puppy you left behind? Are you even hearing yourself, Mel? Everything that's come out of your mouth since you've been here has been about you. You're not here for Charlie, you're here for yourself. You're so selfish, Mel. The decision you made to leave Charlie was selfish. And threatening me now is selfish. Until you can learn to put Charlie and her needs first, you're not coming anywhere near her. I think we're done here. I have to get back to the kitchen so you can just show yourself out."

Sam stood up and walked to the door.

"You'll be hearing from my lawyer!" Melanie yelled after her.

"Looking forward to it," Sam called back over her shoulder. "Have him call mine!"

X

When Sam walked through her door she was immediately greeted by Charlie walking towards her in her brand new round baby walker that Mrs. Benson had given her for her birthday.

"Mama!" Charlie greeted, showing off her big toothy smile and Sam melted. She dropped her bags and kneeled down, picking up the baby and showering her in kisses.

Sam looked over at Freddie, who got up off the couch and kissed her in greeting. He picked up the bags that Sam had dropped and carried them to the kitchen.

"You look tired," Sam commented as she followed him.

"Charlie's been really active today. I guess I'm just getting used to her being up and about for most of the day instead of sleeping like she used to."

"Didn't she take a nap?"

"For an hour and then she refused to go back to sleep and refused to stay in her playpen."

Sam looked down at Charlie in her arms, who had occupied herself by taking a piece of Sam's hair into her mouth. She detached her hair from the baby and put her into her high chair.

She wrapped her arms around Freddie's waist from behind as he took out the containers from the paper bags Sam had brought.

"Go back into the living room," she said. "I'll feed Charlie dinner and heat all this up and you can relax for a little while."

He leaned back into her for a moment before making his way into the living room. Sam watched him, feeling concern bubble up in her chest. She'd noticed that he'd seemed more tired the past couple of months, ever since Charlie had started walking and getting more active. He had been staying up later at night because he couldn't get as much work done during the day since he had to follow Charlie around and stop her from hurting herself or play with her to keep her occupied. But every time Sam would express concern, he'd always shrug it off and say that he's fine, that he can handle it. She knows that there's no way that Freddie would ever admit to her that taking care of an active, energetic baby is becoming too much for him on top of work and school.

Sam quickly prepared Charlie's mashed carrots/mashed peas mixture and took out her favorite train spoon (she blamed Freddie).

"Okay, baby girl," she said, dragging a stool in front of Charlie's chair. "Time to eat. Open up for the choo choo train. Choo choo..."

Again, she blamed Freddie for the whole train business but it's what got Charlie to eat when they first started her on baby food. Before the train spoon, most of the food would end up on Charlie's clothes or on Sam and Freddie's clothes. Or, on one memorable occasion, all over Sam's face and hair.

Charlie opened her mouth and Sam wiped away the mush and spittle that dripped down the baby's chin. They continued like this until Charlie, apparently full, released her mouthful onto her high chair table.

"Oh Charlie..." Sam groaned. "No no!" She cried as Charlie started slapping at her spit up, getting it all over her hands and splattering it onto her clothes and face.

Sam took her out of the high chair and winced as the baby put her hands on Sam's shoulder, getting the mush and spit all over her shirt. Yeah, being a parent was just glamorous. She'd bet all the money in the world that there's no way her sister would last a week.

"Need some help?" Freddie asked, suddenly by her side, his eyes dancing with mirth at her situation.

"I guess I'm going to give her a bath now," Sam sighed. "So you can heat up dinner."

"Okay." He smiled, wiping green mush off her cheek with his finger.

Sam took Charlie into the bathroom and prepared her bath. A half hour later they emerged, with Charlie all clean and ready for bed, and Sam completely soaked from head to toe. She handed the dry, happy baby wordlessly to Freddie and retreated back into the bathroom to dry herself and clean up the mess that her less than a foot tall baby had somehow made.

When Sam came back out, Charlie was in her playpen with her stuffed purple unicorn that Gibby had given her for her birthday, and dinner was ready on the counter.

Sam sat down and Freddie leaned over and kissed her.

"What was that for?" She asked, smiling.

"Nothing. For just being you."

Sam blushed but quickly spooned some lasagna onto her plate and they started eating.

"Melanie came by the restaurant today," Sam blurted out.

Freddie put his fork down. "Wow, she really won't leave you alone, huh? What did she say?"

Sam shrugged. "Typical Melanie stuff, it's all about her. She's been feeling guilty, like buyer's remorse in reverse, I guess."

"You know, I actually would have liked to be there to hear the telling off I'm sure you gave her," Freddie smirked.

"She said that she's going to get a lawyer."

He rolled his eyes. "Why can't she just leave already?"

"I've been thinking..." Sam bit her lip and looked at him cautiously.

"No," Freddie said, reading her expression. "You're not thinking of giving in are you?"

"It's not like I'm going to hand Charlie over," Sam defended. "There's no way Melanie's getting her back. She'll have to do it over my dead body-"

"And mine," Freddie put in.

"But maybe she could see her, just once?"

"No, Sam!"

"Melanie is my sister, Freddie. And like it or not, Charlie is her daughter..."

"No, she's _our _daughter, Sam! I don't care about the biology of it all. We are the ones raising her and no offense, but your sister is not in my good books. She's selfish and unreliable and I don't want that kind of influence around Charlie. I thought we were on the same page about that."

"I know," Sam said. "That's what I told her. But how can she change if she isn't given the opportunity?"

"You don't know that she'll change. Are you really willing to risk Charlie and her feelings when you know there's a big likelihood that Melanie will just bail again?"

Sam sighed and pushed her empty plate away. "You're right," she admitted. "It's just...It's not supposed to be this way. Melanie is not the screw-up in the family. She's the smart one, she's the one that has her life figured out. If she can't make it...if even perfect Melanie can succumb to the screw-up Puckett genes, then what hope do I have? How long will it be before I screw this, all of this up?"

"Sam..." Freddie got out of his seat and spun Sam's stool to face him. He wrapped his arms around her. "Listen to me, you are nothing like your sister. Granted, I don't know Melanie very well or at all really, but I've known you for practically my whole life. I know how smart you are and how loyal. I know you've spent your life not believing in yourself and that you've still managed to accomplish great things despite your self-doubts. I've seen you with Charlie, and I know that you're an absolutely amazing mother. You're not going to screw this up. You'll make mistakes, sure, and so will I. But everyone does. I know that we can do this together. Don't lose faith in yourself, Sam," he said gently. "I know I never will."

Sam nodded and kissed him softly before leaning her forehead against his.

"We can get through anything together," Freddie said. "I know we can."

She wanted to believe him, she really did. But she had a feeling that they were going to be seriously tested, and Sam wasn't sure she was ready for it.

* * *

**A/N: Well, it's almost the end of 2012 and I just wanted to thank you all for continuing to read and support this story. I appreciate every review, favorite, follow, and view. I know that the Seddie fandom has been dwindling since iGoodbye so I appreciate your continued interest in this story even more in the wake of Dan breaking our hearts. I think there's only a few more chapters left in this but don't worry, I'm gotten quite attached to this universe and to Charlie. I have a few ideas on some further adventures of this little family. :)**

**To iliveinWA, I'm from Washington myself, I grew up about an hour away from Seattle. UDub is a common, affectionate nickname for the school. As if UW isn't shorthand enough, they shorten it by cutting the pronunciation of the W in half, lol. I've had a few friends who went to the school and call it that way. Kind of like how Berkeley is never really called Berkeley by students and residents of the Bay Area, but is instead simply CAL to all of us.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! It's really interesting to read all your thoughts on Sam/Freddie vs. Melanie for Charlie. I have about two more chapters plus an epilogue planned out for this story and I'll try to get it all done before I go back to school in two weeks.**

**P.S. Don't hate me.**

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Sam?"

Sam looked up from her ham sandwich to see Garrett Anderson standing over her. Not a person she particularly wanted to see but she supposed there was nothing she could do about it now.

"Stalking me?" She asked.

"No, I just wanted some roast beef," he said, indicating the plate he was holding.

"Around the corner from my school?"

"I came from a meeting with a client. Believe it or not Sam Puckett, my days don't revolve around you. Especially since I haven't heard from you in over six months."

Sam sighed and gestured to the empty seat across from her, which Garrett readily took.

"I said no to franchising, I didn't realize I was supposed to keep in contact beyond that."

Garrett smiled. "How's business? How's life?"

"Business is good," Sam said. "Life is...complicated."

"That doesn't sound good. Anything I can do?"

Sam laughed. "No, I don't think so."

"Well, whatever the problem is, maybe you need an unbiased opinion. You know, from someone who isn't close to the situation."

She looked at Garrett as he bit into his sandwich. They weren't friends, they weren't anything really. Their relationship had stopped over six months ago when she had called him to give him a definitive no on franchising. But the situation with Melanie was slowly driving her insane with anxiety and worry and she couldn't help but think that getting an outside opinion wasn't a bad idea.

"You know Charlie, my sister's baby that I sort of adopted?" She asked. Garrett nodded. "Well, Melanie, my sister is back and she wants to see Charlie and I don't think it's a good idea."

"Why not? Technically, she's her baby, right?"

Sam frowned. "She abandoned her for a year!"

"Point," he granted. "But she's back now, maybe she wants to set things right?"

"And when she decides to leave again?"

"Is it a foregone conclusion that she'll leave again?"

"It's Melanie. She left for boarding school when she was eight and never looked back. Her ambition has always come before everything else. I can't let Charlie get attached to someone who just drops in and out of her life."

"Okay, I don't know your sister or what the history is between you two. I'm guessing that's a long story?" He asked and Sam nodded in confirmation. "But the way I see it, Melanie willingly gave her baby to you, forfeiting her own custody rights. As Charlie's true acting mother, you have the right to set the boundaries around her. Legally, you could be able to sue for closed adoption and keep Melanie from Charlie forever."

Sam thought about this. Is that what she wanted? To keep Melanie from Charlie's life and her own life forever? Even as angry as she was at her sister, it seemed harsh.

"It doesn't look like you like my answer," Garrett said.

Sam looked up, drawn out of her troubled thoughts. "It's just...Melanie is my sister."

"And there's the rub. Sorry, I'm probably not much help. You weren't kidding when you said it's complicated."

"Yeah." Sam breathed out and let her eyes wander to the passing Seattle traffic on the road beside them. It was a rare sunny day and she had chosen an outside table at the deli.

"Look..." Garrett said. She drew her attention back to him and she was surprised to see him looking nervous. "I'm glad I ran into you today. Are you by any chance still with Freddie?"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She couldn't believe he was trying to hit on her again. "Yes, I am."

To her surprise, Garrett looked happy about it.

"Good. I actually, uh, quit my job."

Sam raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"I started a business with a good friend."

"Good for you. What does this have to do with me and Freddie?"

"I want Freddie to design our website and I'm hoping you could put in a good word for me. He did a really good job on Gibby's website, by the way."

"Thanks."

"I showed it to my partner and it's what sold him on letting me hire Freddie and not going to some company or whatever. So here's my new card." He reached into the inside pocket of his blazer and pulled out a card.

"What?" He asked when Sam smiled and shook her head as she took his card.

"How do you manage to turn everything into a business opportunity?"

"I guess it's just a gift. So, I have to go. It was nice seeing you again, Sam. And I wish you luck on your complicated situation." He stood up and started to leave but suddenly turned back. "And for what it's worth, you seem like a great guardian to Charlie. Your sister left her with you for a reason, don't doubt yourself."

Before Sam could answer, he walked away.

X

"Thank you for meeting with me, Mr. McBride," Freddie said as he took the seat opposite him in his office.

"It's not a problem. So Melanie is back, is she?"

"Yes."

"I was afraid of this. Lines of custody are never clear when unprepared, frightened teenagers leave their babies with family members. It's why I was happy to get her signature on the custody papers. If she plans on taking Charlie back, she'll have to take us all the way to trial and convince a jury."

"And she won't win, right?"

"I can't promise anything, Freddie. She is the biological mother, that holds weight with a lot of people. But she gave her baby away almost immediately after birth, she didn't attempt to get back in contact with Sam until after a year...the odds in her favor are slim but if the case goes to trial...well, juries are just people and they can be unpredictable."

Freddie nodded in understanding. "Listen, the reason I wanted to meet with you without Sam is because I wanted to tell you that I plan on proposing to Sam. And I don't know if she'll say yes or anything," he said quickly. "I just wanted to know if that would help...you know, if we were engaged or married."

"It would help," Attorney McBride said slowly, leaning back in his chair to take in this news. "It's always good when it can be shown to the judge and jury that the child is in a stable household with two parents. But I hope you're not doing this just for Charlie's sake."

"I've been thinking about this long before Melanie came back. I love Sam and I want to marry her. I also want to make Charlie legally our daughter."

Attorney McBride studied him hard and long. Freddie met his gaze and didn't waver, he was sure of himself and his decision. He didn't need skeptical older people doubting him at every turn but he knew that because of his age it would happen frequently. It didn't matter though. Nothing mattered except that he loved Sam and she loved him and together they loved Charlie more than life itself.

They sat there in silence until Attorney McBride found whatever he was searching for in Freddie and nodded in satisfaction.

"Freddie, I'm a divorce lawyer," he said. "I can't tell you how many couples I've represented that married too young, too fast. Sometimes it takes them a few months to see the error in their decision, sometimes it takes fifty years."

"It's not like that with Sam and I," Freddie interrupted.

He held his hand up. "I know, I know," he smiled. "I've only been around you and Sam a handful of times but I think I know real love when I see it. And I know the look of a boy foolishly in love. I was you twenty-seven years ago, albeit in a less complicated situation. I wish you luck, Freddie. And I'll do everything in my power to make sure Charlie stays yours."

"Thank you, Mr. McBride," Freddie said, standing up and shaking the Attorney's hand.

X

"Dada..." Charlie said.

Sam took her out of her stroller. "I know, I know you're used to being with daddy right now but he just needs a little break. You'll see him tonight, baby," she promised.

"Dada!" Charlie yelled.

Sam blew out a breath in frustration. The elevator doors to the Shay loft opened and she pushed the stroller out with one hand.

"Hey." Carly greeted. "Hi Charlie!"

"Sorry, Carls," Sam said. "She might be a bit difficult today. She's used to being with Freddie at this time of day. She's been screaming for him since we left the apartment."

"Well, I'll try to keep her entertained. How did Freddie take the idea of giving him a break?"

"He was pretty chizzed off at first but I got him to come around to the idea. He might not want to admit but he does need some peace and quiet to do his work. Thanks for doing this, Carls."

"Sam, I'm happy to."

"It's just once or twice a week until Freddie catches up with his schoolwork. Did you know that he got a C on his last test in his Computer Science class? That's the lowest grade he's gotten on a test, ever. And the nub tried to hide it from me! I found it in the trash when he told me he threw away a box that still had a half eaten chicken leg in it."

"Sam, what did I tell you about digging food out of the trash?" Carly started to lecture but then stopped herself. "Wait, Freddie got a C in a computer class?"

"Yeah! Which means that all the stuff he has to do _is_ getting to him even though he's too stubborn to admit it."

"Well, I'm happy to take Charlie off his hands for a few hours," Carly said, taking the baby from Sam.

"Hi Charlie! You're gonna have fun with aunt Carly, aren't you?"

"Lolly..." Charlie said.

"Aunt Lolly." Carly looked at Sam, who grinned back at her. "Well, close enough, I guess. Do you have to leave right now?"

Sam looked at her watch and shrugged. "I can stay for a few minutes."

Carly sat down on the couch and arranged Charlie on her lap. Sam sat down beside her. "How's the Melanie thing going?"

Sam sighed. "She went by the restaurant the other day. She really wants to see Charlie but...I don't know. She'll probably give up and leave eventually."

Carly pursed her lips and looked down at Charlie, playing with the baby's hands.

"What is it, Shay?" Sam asked.

"What?" Carly asked innocently.

"You've got that face."

"What face?"

"The 'I want to say something that you don't want to hear' face."

"I don't know what you're talking about..." She said in a high pitched voice.

"Shay..."

"Okay, but you can't get mad at me. This is just what I think."

Sam was starting to get impatient. "Well, what is it?"

"I think that maybe...Melanie should see Charlie."

Sam's eyes widened and Carly quickly rushed to add: "I know, I know. She left her and hasn't been in contact for a year and it is awful but Charlie _is _her daughter. She should be able to at least see her."

"And what if she doesn't want to stop at just seeing her? What if she wants to take her away?"

"She signed over custody rights to you, Sam. I think that Melanie knows that being with you is the best thing for Charlie. She wouldn't have left her with you otherwise. But, you know, she's still her mom and she loves Charlie...I think that maybe you're punishing her for leaving Charlie...and you. And I know you don't mean to! I know you want what's best for Charlie. But put yourself in Melanie's position, Sam."

Sam took the baby from Carly and held her close. "I have, Carly," she said. "I've been in her position for the last year, raising this baby."

"I know you're protective of Charlie. And you have every right to be. But I don't think you should block Melanie out of Charlie's life or yours."

"I know you're right," Sam admitted. "But I don't want Charlie to get attached just to have Melanie leave again. She's always been like this! She disappears, gets a random attack of guilt, comes back and then disappears again. I don't want Charlie to grow up with that kind of unreliability."

"Maybe you should just give her a shot. You know, while Charlie's still young."

Sam kissed the top of Charlie's head and passed her back to Carly. "I have to go. Thanks again for doing this."

She stood up and gathered her bag.

"Sam, you're not mad, are you?" Carly asked worriedly. "You promised you wouldn't get mad."

"No, I'm not mad, Carls. I'm just running late. Have fun with Aunt Lolly, baby," she said, running her hand through Charlie's hair as she walked past them.

The door closed behind Sam and Carly stood up with the baby.

"Wow, you've gotten heavy," she said. "So what do you want to do?"

"Shiz!"

Carly stared at her. "Well, that's not an activity."

X

"Hi."

Sam rolled her eyes as she trudged through the hallway, her books wrapped in one arm so that she could hold her phone up to her ear.

"Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"It's so quiet here in the apartment," Freddie complained.

"Well, that was the point in having Carly baby-sit for a few hours. So you could work in quiet."

"I'm not used to it. I think I need Charlie around to concentrate."

"Yeah, that's why you got a C on your test," Sam shot back.

"I miss her," Freddie sighed. "And I miss you."

"You'll see us both tonight, nub." Sam fought back a smile.

"Do you need to go by Gibby's today? How about if you just pick up Charlie and I'll make us dinner tonight?"

"Freddie! You're supposed to be working, not cooking dinner."

"I'm almost done, I swear. You can check my homework tonight if you want to."

"If I do then I expect an A," she said sternly.

"You can punish me if doesn't live up to your standards, Ms. Puckett," he said in a low voice.

A shiver ran down Sam's spine and she had to lean against the wall beside her classroom door.

"Promises, promises," she whispered.

"I keep my promises," Freddie said.

She closed her eyes and took a moment to gather herself. She could practically _feel_ Freddie's smirk through the phone. The jackass knew what he was doing to her.

"Dammit Freddie, I have to go to class."

"I know. Have fun, baby."

She wanted to punch away the smirk that she knew was on his face.

"I hate you," she muttered.

"Hate you too."

She smiled in spite of herself.

X

Sam felt the vibration in her pocket and tried to ignore it and focus on her teacher's lecture. It was probably Freddie again, bored and calling to torture her some more.

When it wouldn't stop for two minutes straight, she dug it out and saw Carly's face on her screen.

Her heart dropped. Carly would only call so insistently if something was wrong with Charlie.

She pushed her notebook into her bag and walked right out of class, not caring if she was making a scene.

"Hello," she said into her phone as soon as she was in the hallway.

"Sam!" Carly sobbed. "I'm so so sorry. Charlie was taking a nap in her playpen. I only went upstairs for a minute to get some of my books...I'm sorry..." she broke down sobbing.

Sam forced down the panic rising in her chest. "Carly!" She yelled. "Carly, what happened?"

"She's gone, Sam," Carly wailed. "Charlie's gone!"


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

It had been the worst hour of his life.

Freddie had gone straight to the Shays after getting a frantic phone call from Carly. There was no doubt that Melanie had taken Charlie, it was just a matter of finding her before she took the baby out of the state. Sam, Spencer, Ian, and Gibby were all there at the apartment. They had called the police and Ian's dad. Freddie had spoken to the police officer that had come over and was assured that they would be posting AMBER alerts and notifying all of the nearby airports. Spencer and Gibby were now on the phone, trying to find the hotel Melanie was staying at. Ian sat on the stairs with Carly, who was sobbing softly into his chest.

But what worried Freddie the most was Sam. She had been panicked and angry when she first arrived at the apartment. Freddie had expected a firestorm of activity from her, that she'd make use of her uncle's prison contacts to find Melanie, and she'd get their baby back and beat her sister with her butter sock, which he wouldn't stop her from her doing. But instead she had taken one look in the empty playpen and picked up Charlie's bear that had been left behind and completely deflated. She had been catatonic on the couch ever since, holding the bear to her chest. As if losing Charlie wasn't bad enough, it tore Freddie apart to see Sam like this.

He sat down next to her.

"We'll get her back, Sam," he said gently.

"She didn't even take her bear," Sam said, her voice breaking. "Charlie won't be able to sleep..."

Freddie wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to his chest. Sam buried her face in Freddie's neck, the bear clutched tightly in her arms.

There was a knock on the door and Spencer answered it. Melanie came in with a crying Charlie in her arms and at once, Sam and Freddie stood up. Sam hurried over and took Charlie, barely glancing at her sister. As soon as the baby settled in Sam's arms she stopped crying.

"Mama..." Charlie said, her hands tangling on Sam's shirt.

"That's right sweetie, mama's here," Sam said, holding Charlie close and placing kisses on her face.

Freddie also kissed Charlie and look her over quickly, making sure she was alright. After a few minutes Sam looked up at Melanie, whom to her credit, hadn't run out the door and made a quick escape while she could have.

Sam handed Charlie to Freddie. He caught the murderous look in her eye and quickly gave the baby to Carly, who had walked up behind him.

"Sam, let me explain..." Melanie started.

"Explain?" Sam said coldly. "Sure, explain to me why you kidnapped my baby and then I'll knock your teeth out with my butter sock."

"Sam." Freddie put a hand on her arm.

"I didn't mean to kidnap her!" Melanie said, wringing her hands out anxiously. "I just wanted to see her and you wouldn't let me so I...followed you a little bit. I saw you go into Bushwell with the baby and come out without her. I waited outside the backdoor until I saw Carly leave and I was just going to look at Charlotte but I saw her lying there, looking so beautiful and so much bigger than I remember...so I took her. But I was going to bring her back! I just wanted to spend time with her."

"You might think you're explaining but really you're just making things worse for yourself," Freddie said.

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "All you're telling us is that you're a stalker and a kidnapper!"

She moved towards her sister but Freddie quickly grabbed her around the waist and held her back.

"Carly, take Charlie upstairs," he ordered. He had a feeling things were about to get ugly and he needed Charlie out of there. Carly nodded and hurried up the stairs.

"I called my dad, he's on his way," Ian said.

"I can call the police," Spencer offered.

"No! Please don't," Melanie begged, tears streaming down her cheeks. "If I get arrested, I'll get kicked out of school!"

"You should have thought of that before you kidnapped Charlie!" Sam exclaimed.

"I brought her back! Please Sam..." She moved closer.

"I'd keep my distance," Freddie warned, still keeping a firm grip around Sam's waist. Melanie hesitated but Sam's feral expression made her move back a few steps.

"Sam, can we just talk? Please..."

Sam's stiff body relaxed in Freddie's grip and she moved away from him.

"Sam..." He grabbed her arm.

"Just give me a minute, Freddie."

He was going to protest but the determination on her face made him back off. Instead, he held out his hand. Sam sighed heavily and pulled her butter sock out of her back pocket, placing it on Freddie's palm.

"Sam!" Freddie called as she turned away.

"She kidnapped Charlie!" Sam protested.

"Give it to me, Sam," he said.

She hiked her right pant leg up and pulled another butter sock out of her boot and give it to him. He nodded in satisfaction and she walked out into the hallway with her sister, the door closing behind them.

Freddie threw the butter socks onto the table and fell back onto the couch.

"So we're not calling the police?" Spencer asked, sitting down next to him.

"I should call them and tell them we have Charlie back but we'll wait until they finish out there and see what Sam wants to do."

"I think Melanie should be arrested," Ian said. "Who kidnaps a baby?"

"Aliens?" Gibby suggested.

They all turned to look at him.

"When Guppy was five, he went missing for twelve hours. My dad said he was abducted by aliens because he found some weird white alien spaceship residue on the grass in our backyard."

"Where was Guppy?" Ian asked.

"Aliens took him! Weren't you listening? And then we found him asleep in the treehouse."

"He couldn't have been in the treehouse the whole time?" Freddie asked.

"Right, and the spaceship residue was just the tipped over can of white paint," Gibby scoffed.

"You think maybe he was the one kidnapped by aliens?" Ian asked quietly as Gibby went into the kitchen.

Freddie shrugged. "It would explain a lot."

The door opened and Sam walked in without Melanie. Freddie stood up and went over to her.

"You okay?" He asked, rubbing a hand down her arm.

"Yeah," she sighed. "Let's just get Charlie and go home."

"What about Melanie? Where is she?"

"She left. She's going back to New Jersey. She won't bother us anymore."

He frowned. "That's it? She took Charlie!"

"She gave her back. Look, she's my sister. I'm not going to have her arrested."

"But..."

"Let it go, Freddie. We talked it out and I took care of it. I'm going to get Charlie and then I'm going home. You coming or not?"

"I-I...um, later. Ian's dad is on his way so I should talk to him. And I'll let the police know that we have Charlie and that we're not pressing charges."

Sam nodded. "I'll see you at home then." She squeezed his hand gratefully and went up the stairs.

"Can you believe that?" Freddie asked once Sam was out of earshot. "Let it go? Melanie kidnapped Charlie! How am I supposed to let that go?"

"It sounds like they worked it out," Spencer said.

"They were out there for ten minutes! Unless Sam killed her and hid her body, I don't see how they could have worked it out."

"You don't have any siblings, right, Freddie?" Ian asked.

"No."

"Sometimes siblings just have a way of working things out between them," Spencer explained.

"So you're saying that if you had a baby and Carly kidnapped her then you would just be fine with it?" Freddie asked in disbelief.

"I'm saying that if Sam said she took care of it then you should believe her," Spencer said, standing up and clapping Freddie on the back.

"Hey, my dad is in the lobby," Ian said as he looked down at his phone. "Want to go down to meet him?"

"Yeah, sure."

X

It was quiet in the apartment when Freddie got home. He dropped his bag on the couch and made his way to Charlie's room. It was dark, the nightlight wasn't on like it usually was and when he walked over to the crib, it was empty. His chest tightened but he tried not to panic.

He went into his room and there was Sam, lying on the bed with Charlie sleeping beside her. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and bent down to kiss Sam's forehead before walking to the other side of the bed and lying down, Charlie in between him and Sam.

"Do you mind if she sleeps here?" Sam asked. "I-I can't..."

"I know," he said, placing a hand over hers. She couldn't stand to let Charlie out of her sight and truthfully, he didn't feel keen on it either. "Me too."

"Did you talk to Ian's dad?"

"Yeah. And I don't know if you'll like this or not but he told me that these type of kidnappings aren't uncommon in custody battles and that he has a private investigator that he usually hires to track the movements of the other parent in custody battles that he represents. He asked me if I wanted his PI to keep tabs on Melanie, to make sure that she doesn't try to take Charlie again and I said yes."

Sam nodded. "It's probably for the best. She said she's leaving tomorrow though so we won't need him for long."

"I-I don't understand how you're just okay with this. What did you guys talk about? What did she say?"

"She said that she didn't mean to take Charlie, that she just wanted to spend some time with her."

"And you believe her?"

"She did bring Charlie back. She didn't try to leave the state with her or anything."

"But..."

"Freddie, we have Charlie back. And Melanie is my sister. I'm mad at her but I'm not going to throw her in jail and ruin her career."

"I can understand that, I guess," he said reluctantly. "I called the police and told them we're not pressing charges."

"Thank you."

"Is she still going to try to fight for Charlie?"

Sam shrugged. "I think so."

"She's still going to try and take Charlie away from us and you're okay with that?" He asked incredulously.

"I'm not okay. I'm not okay with anything," she said. "But I can't think about that right now because we have Charlie here with us and she's safe and _here_." She caressed one of Charlie's hands. "Can we just not think about anything else? Just for tonight?"

As Freddie gazed into Sam's blue eyes across the pillow, he realized that he didn't truly understand how much Sam had changed over the past year. Maybe it was because he was too close to the situation, but he didn't see until now the profound effect that motherhood has had on Sam Puckett. No longer was she the impulsive, reckless teenager he had once known but instead a woman who was nurturing and empathized with others. It wasn't just Charlie, either. Freddie had seen her take on some questionable teenagers at the restaurant that most people wouldn't hire. Teens that had juvie records and personalities that were not unlike Sam at sixteen. Some might say that Sam's gone soft but Freddie could now see how she's grown, how she's become the Sam Puckett that she always could have been if life hadn't dealt her such bad cards early on in life. And if Sam wanted to think better of her sister, who was he to get in the way of that? But just because Sam was done with Melanie for now, didn't mean that he was. He put that out of his mind though, deciding to just enjoy the moment with Sam and their beautiful baby, who was home and safe with them.

He leaned over and kissed Sam and vowed to himself that Charlie would always be with them.

X

Melanie's hotel was only ten minutes away. Freddie struggled with what to do with Charlie after Sam had left to go to work but finally he decided on calling Spencer and having him come over to watch her.

He knocked on her door and waited a few minutes until she opened it.

"Freddie," she said, surprised.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure, come in." She opened the door wider and he walked in.

The room was small with just the basics of a bed, nightstand, and a TV on top of a dresser. There was a small, round dining table beside the window and that's where Melanie led him. He took a seat across from her.

"I would offer you something to drink but I really have nothing here," she said, smiling timidly.

"I'm here about Charlie," he said, bypassing the small talk.

Melanie nodded. "I know."

"What you did yesterday...Do you have any idea what you put us through? You might not care about me because you don't know me but Sam? And Carly was a wreck. She still is. She's convinced that she can't be trusted with watching Charlie now."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take her, I really didn't. I just saw her sleeping and she was so beautiful...I just needed to be with her for a little while. I took her here and she just cried the whole time. She could tell that I wasn't Sam, that I was a stranger...I'm a stranger to my own baby. There are no words to express how awful that feels, Freddie. And I know. I know it's my own fault. I'm the one that abandoned her. I made a mistake and now I want to make it right."

"And how will you make it right? By taking her away from the parents that she knows? The home that she's grown up in? It's been a year, Melanie. Time didn't stand still. Sam and I have grown to love that baby like our own. And she loves us."

Tears spilled down Melanie's cheeks. "I know. I can see that. But I love Charlotte too and I want to make things right."

"Sometimes being a parent means doing what's best for your child, even if it hurts you," Freddie said. "Sam and I have jobs, we can provide for Charlie. We both go to school and we work but we've established a routine for Charlie. We also have a support system of friends and family who help us with raising Charlie, and she's grown attached to them as well. I am asking you, Melanie, as a mother, to think about that. And think about whether you can provide a similar stable environment for Charlie, either now or in the near future, before you try to fight us for custody. Because if there is any chance at all that Sam and I will lose, then all I want to know is that Charlie will be raised in a stable environment with all of the love and attention that she deserves. So please, just think about that.

"Look," he said, feeling bad at how much of a scolded child Melanie looked like. "Sam and I know you love Charlie. And I can appreciate how hard it must have been for you to give her up. But you made the right choice in giving her to Sam. We wouldn't be fighting you so hard if we didn't think we could give Charlie the best life possible."

"Do you think I could ever be part of Charlie's life?"

"I think that if you give Sam time to get over what you did and if you actually made an effort to stay in regular contact with her...then she'd consider it. You're her sister, Melanie. She does love you. But you have to earn her trust."

He stood up and turned to leave.

"Freddie," Melanie said, stopping him at the door.

He turned around.

"Sam is lucky to have you. And so is Charlie."

He didn't know if that meant what he wanted it to mean but he decided not to pursue the subject. He had already said his piece. He nodded at her and left.

X

Sam carefully closed Charlie's door. She had gotten her energetic baby down for a nap and she was thrilled. With Charlie sleeping and Freddie out to a meeting with a client, it meant that she practically had the apartment to herself. She was going to fry herself some bacon and sit down to watch the MMA fight she had recorded.

The buzzer sounded and Sam sighed. It figured her afternoon to herself would be disturbed. She walked over to the intercom and pressed the button.

"What's up Chester?"

"Hey Sam, you have a letter here at the desk. Do you want me to bring it up?"

"Could you, Chester? I'd come down and get it myself but Charlie's sleeping and I don't want to leave her..."

"It's no problem, Sam. I'll be right up."

"Thank you."

She went into the kitchen and heated up some milk in a mug, quickly preparing her special hot chocolate with marshmallows on top. When the knock came on the door, she carried the mug over.

"Hey Chester. Here you go, for your trouble." She handed over the mug.

"Oh, Sam, you didn't have to," he smiled at her.

"Come on, it's my special hot chocolate. You know you want it..." She waved the mug in front of his face.

"Well, alright..." He took the mug and handed her the letter.

"Thank you, Sam."

"Thanks for this." She held up the letter. "Who is it from?"

"From you."

"What?"

"That sister of yours. It's so weird, she came up to the desk and at first I really thought it was you. She asked me to give that to Sam and I thought why would you be asking me to give you a letter to yourself?" He laughed. "It took a minute for my old brain to catch up."

"Oh. Did she just leave?"

"Yeah, got in a cab and left."

"Okay. Thank you, Chester," she smiled.

"I'll bring the mug back up."

"Don't worry about it. I'll pick it up whenever. Or if you see Freddie come in later, you can give it to him."

He tipped the mug to her and left.

Sam looked down at the envelope in her hand. It had 'Sam' written on the front in Melanie's messy cursive. She really was going to become a doctor, she already had the handwriting for it.

Sam sat down on the couch and pulled the single sheet of paper out from the envelope.

_Dear Sam,_

_First of all, I want to say that I'm really sorry for taking Charlie. I promise, it will never happen again. I don't know what to say...I guess that's why I'm writing this letter instead of talking to you face to face. I always did take the coward's way out, huh? But not you, Sam. You've always been the strong one out of the two of us. You took care of me when dad left us, you stood by mom when she turned into a trainwreck, and now you're raising my daughter. I can't thank you enough for that. She's so beautiful and healthy and man, she can really scream. _

_I'm such a mess, Sam. This past year has been hell as I tried to figure out what I really want. I thought I already had it figured out. I've always wanted to be a doctor. Remember when J'Maw Maw gave me that doctor's kit on our fifth birthday and I tried to make you be my patient? But you couldn't sit still long enough to be a patient. You'd rather do stuff like break into Mrs. Oldman's kitchen and steal her freshly baked cookies. But then you saw how upset I would get at not having a patient other than my Raggedy Tess doll and you pushed our neighbor Steven Gunther out of a tree and made him break his wrist so that he could be my patient. He was a whiny, snotty kid but I loved every moment of being a "doctor". Even over ten years later, that feeling hasn't gone away. I still really want to become a doctor._

_I'm telling you all of this because I want you to know that I've made my decision. I'm going to finish college, I'm going to get into a really great med school, and I'm going to finally be a doctor. I don't think I could do anything else and not regret it ten years later, you know? I've dreamed of this for so long that I don't think I could live with myself if I don't actually do it. But this means that I really can't be a mom. And I think I'm okay with that now. I can see how much you love Charlie and I know that you've been a really great mom to her. I knew that when I left her with you that you're the only person I could truly trust her with, but I think you've surpassed even my expectations with the amount of love and devotion you've given her. For that, I'm endlessly grateful. _

_You told me that I'm selfish and you were completely right. I am selfish and as horrible as it may sound, I don't think I'm ready to change. I'm not ready to put another person before myself and I'm not ready to sacrifice my dreams. This means I'm not ready to be a mother. But you are. You're so completely ready. I shouldn't have doubted that. _

_I talked to Freddie and I can see how much he loves you and Charlie. I want to thank you both for giving her a family. I had no right to try and disturb that and I want to reassure you that it will never happen again. If you guys want to adopt her, I'll cooperate fully and sign whatever you need me to sign. You can give her the life that I can't give her and I'm lucky that you're both so willing to do it. _

_I just want to make one request. I'd really like to still be in your life and in Charlie's life. And I know it was my own fault for cutting off communication from you but I just couldn't face what I had done. But I'm ready now. I still want to be your sister and I want us to be able to talk and keep updated on each other's lives. I want to know how Charlie's doing...I could be her Aunt Melanie. I'd really like to be able to visit with you guys sometimes, whenever you feel ready. I don't want to lose touch with my family. My new phone number is on the bottom of the page. Call me whenever you feel ready to._

_Thank you, Sam. Really and truly. I'm so glad you're my sister. And I'm glad you're Charlie's mom now. I'm so proud of everything you've done, with the restaurant and school and your relationship with Freddie. I don't think you understand how much of a remarkable person you are. You're an inspiration to me and I know you will be to Charlie. You'll teach her strength, loyalty, courage, and love. All of the things that you've always had and that I'm still learning. _

_I hope to hear from you soon._

_Love,_

_Melanie_

_P.S. I wrote a letter for Charlie. I was going to leave it with this letter but you should make the decision on what capacity I'll have in her life. I am okay with being Aunt Melanie but I don't know if you'll ever want to tell her that I'm her biological mom. If you do, I have a letter for you to give her when the time comes. If you don't want to tell her, I'll respect that and keep my silence._

Sam folded up the letter and sat back on the couch. She sat there for a really long time. For so long that the front door opened and Freddie walked in.

"Hey Sam, I brought you some fried chicken. The meeting went really well, you won't believe what this client is willing to pay me..." He looked at her sitting still on the couch. "Sam, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said. "Something just went very very right."

He sat down beside her and she handed him the letter. Several minutes went by while he read it and when he finished Freddie looked up at her.

"This is good, right?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Then why don't you seem happier about it?"

"I-I don't know. I guess I'm still processing it. Charlie is really ours now," she smiled. "I just didn't think it would be this easy."

"To be fair we did go through a hellish few hours when we thought we might not see Charlie again," he pointed out.

"There is that. I just expected a court battle and more drama...I don't know, since when has anything ever come easy for me?"

"Baby," Freddie said soothingly, brushing her hair back over her shoulder. "This is a good thing."

"I know." She laid her head on his shoulder and they just sat there in silent contentment.

"You said you had chicken?" Sam asked.

Freddie grinned and grabbed the bag he had set on the coffee table.

"It's right here. Come on, let's go eat." He stood up and walked to the kitchen with the bag.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Sam said, quickly following behind him.

"Why is it so quiet?" Freddie asked as he took out the plates and silverware.

"Charlie's asleep, can't you tell?"

"You got her to nap for this long?"

"Eh, I made her a fortress of pillows and let her run and crawl around inside of it. She tired herself out and went right to sleep."

Freddie looked at her. "Wha-how...how..." He stuttered. "Why didn't I think of something like that?"

"Because you have no imagination, Fredpuss. Your mom must have scrubbed it out of with the tick baths. You have to know how to think like a kid sometimes."

Freddie put a plate in front of her, although Sam had already torn into the bucket and was munching on a drumstick in her hand.

"Yes, and you're quite talented at that," he smirked. "You know, if you didn't have the restaurant, you could have started a baby-sitting business."

"And take care of screaming brats all day?" Sam scoffed. "In what universe would I do that?"

"You take care of Charlie," Freddie pointed out, taking a seat beside her and jabbing a piece of chicken with a fork and setting it neatly on his plate.

"That's different. There's only one of her and she's _mine_. I'm not taking care of a bunch of stranger's bratty kids."

Freddie smiled at her. "I still say you'd be good at it."

She shook her head. "Maybe in another lifetime, Freddifer."

"Yeah, probably in a parallel universe where you never took Gibby's out of Ridgeway. You know, because theoretically, we could live in a world where every decision we make creates a universe. One where we did something and one where we didn't do something-"

"Hey!" Sam cut in loudly. "So Melanie said in her letter that you talked to her?"

Freddie turned to her. "Well, that conversation turn gave me whiplash. You want to talk about that?"

"Anything to stop your yapping. When did you talk to my sister?"

"I went to her hotel," he said. "I hope that what I said to her had a part in her decision but I think she was already feeling bad enough for taking Charlie the way she did."

"What did you say to her?"

Freddie shrugged. "Just that she should think about what's best for Charlie and that we wouldn't be fighting so hard for her if we didn't know that we could give her the best life possible. She seemed to listen to me."

Sam slid off her stool and draped her arms around Freddie's neck.

"Thank you," she said.

"I really don't think I did anything," he protested.

Sam pressed her forehead against his. "You do a lot. You do so much. For me and for Charlie."

He smiled. "You're getting sentimental, it's freaking me out."

"Shh..." she said, kissing him. "No more talking."

"Okay..." He murmured into her lips.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I'm really really sorry about the long wait. School and life has been so busy lately. But here we are, the last chapter. Don't worry though, there's still an epilogue. I just want to thank you all for your support on this story. Your reviews, favorites, and follows mean so much to me and I hope the journey of this story has been as worthwhile for all of you as it has been for me.**

**So without further ado, I give you the conclusion of Playing House. Mild lemon warning near the end. It's a nice and sweet one though. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

"Tookiee!" Charlie cried.

Sam used a damp cloth to wipe the cookie crumbs off of Charlie's mouth.

"No more cookies, baby. You've had enough," she said.

"Tookieee!"

Sam shook her head and lifted Charlie out of her high chair. "Your daddy spoils you. No wonder he can barely get you to go to sleep."

She took Charlie to the living room and turned the TV on to Girly Cow reruns and placed Charlie in her little play area in front of the TV, with a blanket and pillows and stuffed animals surrounding her. Charlie immediately pulled her bear to her and became entranced with the TV.

Sam sat down on the couch with her laptop and tried to work on her homework for class but quickly found that she couldn't concentrate. Her mind kept drifting to Freddie and how strange he'd been acting lately. It wasn't like he was doing anything that she could complain about. He came home on time, and he was mostly attentive to her and Charlie...he was still Freddie. But he seemed distracted and distant sometimes and Sam would catch him looking at her, like she was a puzzle he was trying to figure out. He was hiding something, she could feel it. And Sam didn't like secrets.

The door opened and Freddie walked in.

"Dada!" Charlie squealed.

"Hey princess," he grinned, walking over to her and lifting her up. He sat down on the couch beside Sam with Charlie on his lap.

"Hi," he said, kissing her.

"Hey, where have you been?"

"Uh, with Spencer. He needed help with a sculpture."

Sam frowned. She had talked to Carly an hour ago, she and Spencer were on their way to Yakima to visit their grandad.

"Da...da..." Charlie patted his face, trying to get his attention.

"What is it, baby girl?" He asked.

"She's probably thirsty," Sam said. "She was eating cookies earlier."

"Let's get you some juice then. Huh?" He kissed Charlie's cheek and stood up with her. "You want anything?"

Sam shook her head. She turned to watch Freddie in the kitchen. He poured apple juice into Charlie's bottle with one hand while he cooed and talked to Charlie.

He had lied to her. He looked right into her face and lied with barely any hesitation. Sam tried to ignore the nervous tightening in her gut as she watched Freddie wheedle a kiss out of Charlie before giving her her bottle.

In Sam's experience, men only lied when they had something to hide. And that something was usually another woman. She felt her heart drop down into her stomach. Was it possible that Freddie-her boyfriend for over a year, her best friend, the father of her child, the love of her life-was cheating on her?

X

"Sam's starting to suspect something..." Freddie said as he paced back and forth in the Shay apartment.

"Freddie, calm down," Carly soothed.

"Why didn't you guys tell me you were going to Yakima over the weekend? I told Sam on Saturday that I was with Spencer and now she knows I was lying!"

"And she hasn't beaten you up yet?" Spencer asked.

"It's because of Charlie. Sam won't act impulsively as long as she has Charlie to think about but she's been pulling away from me, I can feel it."

"Well, you're the one that wants to have this whole elaborate proposal plan," Carly pointed out.

"I want it to be perfect."

"And it will be," she assured him. "You just do whatever else you need to do and I'll handle Sam."

Freddie took a deep breath. "Okay," he nodded. "Thanks, Carly."

"And I'll just sit here uselessly," Spencer said.

"Like you always do." Carly smiled.

"Hey!"

X

"I need your help," Sam said, cornering Julie in the employee break room.

"Sure, with what?"

"I need to follow Freddie."

Julie closed her locker and turned to her. "What?"

"I think he's cheating on me."

Julie laughed. "Come on, Sam. That's ridiculous. The boy is crazy about you. Why would he cheat?"

"Why do men do anything?" Sam exclaimed. "And even if he's not cheating on me, I know he's definitely hiding something."

"Don't you think you should just trust him?"

Sam looked at her. "This coming from you? Do you remember when my cousin Chaz got parole and you had him bug the phones of the guy you were dating at the time because you were convinced he was cheating on you?"

"Well, that was different," Julie defended. "The bastard really was cheating on me."

"Just because you're with Spencer now doesn't mean you can just let your guard down."

"Why?" She asked in alarm. "Has Spencer ever cheated before?"

"No! I mean, he's backed over two ex-girlfriends with a car, but he's never cheated on them to my knowledge. Of course, he's never really been in a relationship long enough to cheat..." Sam trailed off at the look on Julie's face. "But its different with you! You guys have been together for 5 months! That's a record for Spencer."

"Fine, Puckett, you win." She tossed Sam her coat and pulled on hers. "But after we trail Freddie, we're trailing Spencer."

X

Freddie has known Sam for ten years now. And at every turn she has always managed to surprise him. When they met, she was just a bully that liked to make his life miserable. It wasn't until after they started doing iCarly that Freddie found out about Sam's home life and why she was the way she was. He hadn't known that Sam had harbored a crush on him until she kissed him at the lock-in. He hadn't known that Sam had a flair for cooking and business until she turned Gibby's into a (literal) underground success. And he hadn't known just how devoted she could be until he saw her with Charlie. It seemed that no matter how much time he spent with Sam, it would be impossible to really know all of her and she would never stop surprising him. It's what made him so sure that spending the rest of his life with her would be a non-stop adventure.

But, at the moment, Sam's unpredictability was giving him a headache and was threatening to blow the lid on his plans. He couldn't have known that when she started getting suspicious about his behavior, she would decide to stalk him instead of confronting him. A confrontation he might have been able to deal with, but knowing that Sam was on his tail made it difficult to do what he needed to do. And he was already on a deadline.

Fortunately, Julie was doing all she could to sidetrack Sam without looking suspicious. He had told Sam when he left the apartment that he was going to the arcade. Now he really had to go because he knew that she would follow him. When he got the phone call from Spencer, who had gotten the word from Julie that she and Sam were back at Gibby's, he went over to the cafe across the street from the University of Washington to meet Carly and Ian.

"Hey, sorry guys," he said, sliding into the booth across from them.

"Sorry for what? For being an hour late?" Carly asked irritably.

"It's not my fault. Sam was following me!"

"Why?" Ian asked.

"Because she knows I'm lying to her and she wants to know what I'm up to. So come on, guys, help me out. The sooner I do this, the better."

"Well, you don't have to have such an elaborate plan, you know," Ian said. "Just pop the question."

Carly elbowed him. "Hush you! It's romantic."

Ian rolled his eyes but kept silent.

"Okay, so Sam and I are taking Charlie on a picnic on Sunday so she won't be at Gibby's all day."

"Gibby's will close at five and the staff is going to help clean up and get everything together," Carly put in. "You sure you can keep Sam away from the restaurant for that long?"

"With Charlie's energy at the park? We'll be there all afternoon. I just need you to sneak into the apartment while we're gone, Carly. You can hide in Charlie's room until we get there."

"Okay. Just text me when I need to come over. And Emilio said that he can stay and cook for you."

"And Tess should have the smuggled Canadian Fatcakes here the day after tomorrow."

"I can't believe you got Sam's cousin to smuggle Fatcakes for you." Carly shook her head. "Didn't she just get parole? What if she gets caught?"

"You won't believe what else she plans on smuggling in," Freddie said wryly. "If she gets caught, the Fatcakes will be the least of her problems."

"What's the difference between American Fatcakes and Canadian Fatcakes?" Ian asked.

Carly and Freddie looked at him.

"They're only a thousand times better," Freddie said.

"Never ask that question around Sam," Carly said at the same time.

"And how many relatives does Sam have?" He wondered. "They all seem to be in jail or on parole..."

"They all are, sweetie." Carly nodded.

Ian laughed. "Why? Is Sam from some Italian mob family or something?"

Carly and Freddie exchanged a glance.

"We can't discuss that," Freddie said quickly.

"Are you kidding me?" Ian exclaimed. "Sam's from a-"

"Shhhh!" Carly hissed.

"Dude, and this is what you want to marry into?" He asked Freddie.

"Honestly, I can't wait." Freddie grinned. "This the exact song I want to be playing." He slid a piece of paper over to Ian.

"I don't know the song."

"I'll send it to you."

Carly looked at it. "I don't know the song either. Why is it so special?"

"It's the song that was playing on my PearPod when we first kissed."

"Awww..." Carly melted.

"Nice." Ian smiled. "Sappy but nice."

"So, that's it? I should get home before Sam starts looking for me."

Carly nodded. "Don't worry about everything else, we'll take care of it."

Ian got out of the booth and Carly moved to follow him but stopped when she noticed that Freddie hadn't moved.

"You alright?"

"Do-do you think she'll say yes, Carls?" He asked hesitantly.

"I can't promise you that she will. It is really soon, after all. But, I know that no matter what, Sam loves you and she will always love you. Whether or not she wants to get married tomorrow or ten years from now, it doesn't matter because I know that she'll always want to be with just you."

He nodded, feeling better. "Thanks, Carly."

"Don't get cold feet now, Benson. We've come too far in planning this thing."

"I know, I know. And believe me, I appreciate the help. I know it isn't easy for you to lie and keep secrets from Sam."

"Only when it's for a good cause. And this definitely qualifies. Come on." She got out of the booth and pulled Freddie up by the arm. "It's time to get you home to your girlfriend and baby, mister."

X

The days passed and Sam was getting more nervous. Like a crazy person, she had followed Freddie but he never went anywhere that he wasn't supposed to go. And as far as she saw, he wasn't meeting another woman. He'd stopped being so distant and busy, almost becoming the old Freddie again, before she had noticed anything was amiss. But to Sam, it seemed like he was making a concentrated effort to act more normal. Or maybe nothing was going on and she was just being crazy and paranoid.

It was driving her nuts. She didn't _like_ being the paranoid girlfriend. But she was very aware that there was more than just her own heart at stake if Freddie really was up to no good.

She picked up a smiling and very awake Charlie from her crib.

"Good morning, baby," she said. "Are you ready for the park?"

"Duck!"

"Yes, there will be ducks there."

Sam carried Charlie to the kitchen where Freddie was making breakfast.

"Dada!" Charlie cried happily, immediately reaching for him.

"Hi princess!" He said, taking her and kissing her cheek. "You hungry?"

"Da!"

Sam took the spatula from him and flipped the pancakes. "Go on, feed her. I've got this."

She watched as Charlie babbled nonsensically as Freddie prepared her breakfast. She was such a daddy's girl. Usually it warmed her heart to see Freddie and Charlie so close. But right now she had no idea what was going on with Freddie and as much as she feared losing him, she worried about what it would mean for Charlie even more.

She sighed. This was why she was so hesitant to start a relationship with him again. She knew that it would get complicated eventually.

"Hey, are you okay?" Freddie asked in concern. Charlie was in one arm and he placed the other around her waist, kissing her shoulder. Sam felt some of the tension in her body leave her at the small gesture.

"Mama...kay," Charlie said.

Sam smiled and kissed her. "I'm okay, baby."

"Don't burn the pancakes," Freddie said.

She looked down at the well done pancakes and quickly transferred them onto a plate.

"Hey, why don't you dress her after you eat?" Sam said. "I was thinking I could stop by Gibby's real quick before we leave."

"No!" Freddie exclaimed, suddenly standing up straight from where he was bent over Charlie's high chair. "I mean, I know you, Sam. If you walk in there, a couple minutes will turn into an hour. And Charlie is really excited for the park."

"Duck!" Charlie yelled.

"Yes, we're going to see ducks, baby," he said.

"But I need to check-"

"No, Sam," Freddie said firmly. "It's Sunday. There's nothing there that can't wait until tomorrow. This day is supposed to be just for us, as a family."

"Duck!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Why is she so obsessed with ducks?" Sam asked in exasperation.

Freddie looked down at their baby as she threw her pacifier to the floor. "I wish I knew."

X

Sam trudged into the apartment tiredly, pushing Charlie's empty stroller. Freddie walked in behind her, a sleeping Charlie in his arms.

"Well," she said. "I'm pretty sure she's been cured of her obsession with ducks."

"Now she's terrified of them. She may be scarred for life!"

"Hey, you're the one that took her to the pond and let her near the baby ducks."

"They were cute," he defended. "How was I supposed to know the mom would be so vicious? Speaking of, I need to disinfect this." He held up the finger that the mother duck had nipped. He had stepped into her path when she was about to attack Charlie, successfully saving the baby but getting bitten himself.

"It still stings," he whined.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Go put her down, I'll get the first aid kit."

He obediently took Charlie to her room. When he came back out, Sam had the contents of the first aid kit spread out on the coffee table.

"Come on, let me see it," she said as he sat down beside her.

"Be careful," he warned. Sam unwrapped the cloth she had wrapped around Freddie's index finger. Because of his tendency to bleed profusely from even the smallest of cuts, Sam had to improvise and tear off a small piece of Freddie's shirt to tie around his finger and stop the bleeding.

Charlie was extremely upset at seeing the blood pour out of her father's finger from the duck's bite and cried so much that they nearly took her home. Fortunately, she cheered up when they took her to the baby swings. But to say that Charlie no longer liked ducks would be putting it lightly.

The wound had closed up enough that Freddie wasn't bleeding anymore. And Sam rubbed disinfectant on it with a q-tip. Freddie winced and instinctively withdrew his hand.

"Don't be such a big baby," Sam admonished.

"I think its okay now," he said, cradling his hand protectively.

"Freddie, if you don't let me bandage that, I am calling your mother and you know that she'll take you to the hospital for rabies and any other chicken or animal disease shots that she can get her hands on."

He obediently gave his hand back and Sam quickly put ointment on his finger and bandaged it.

"All done," she said.

"Aren't you going to kiss it and make it better?" Freddie teased.

She rolled her eyes but did it anyway, placing a quick kiss over the bandaid. She started to gather up the first aid kit but Freddie pulled her onto his lap.

She giggled. "What are you doing?"

"Despite the whole duck incident, I had fun today," he said.

"Me too," she agreed, leaning into him.

He pushed her hair back from her face and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Sam, I know you think I've been acting different lately..."

"You have been," she whispered. "I'm not going crazy."

"No, you're not. But it's not what you think."

"Then what is it?"

He kissed her. "Come with me?" He murmured against her lips.

"Where?"

"You'll see."

"But Charlie..."

"Will be taken care of," he assured her.

"Carly," he said, raising his voice. "You can come out now."

Carly came out of Charlie's room and waved.

Sam looked between the two of them. "What's going on?"

Freddie stood up, taking Sam with him. "Come on," he said, taking her hand.

"But..." she tried to protest. Freddie kissed her deeply, making her forget what she was about to say and everything else.

"Stop resisting, Sam." He smiled. "The sooner we leave, the sooner you'll find out what's going on."

Sam sighed. "Fine," she agreed.

Freddie helped her into his coat and put on his own. He took her hand again and led her out the door.

"Have fun!" Carly called after them.

They walked the few blocks to Gibby's in silence. Sam saw the closed sign on the front door and dropped Freddie's hand, running over.

"Why is it closed?" She exclaimed.

"Sam, don't panic," Freddie soothed.

She turned to him angrily. "What did you do?"

"I may have asked Gibby and the staff to close early today," he said.

"Why? Why would you do that? And what makes you think you even have the right to? Do you know how much money we're losing by not having this place open for dinner on a Sunday night?"

"Go inside," Freddie said calmly in the face of Sam's rant.

"What?"

He nodded at the door. "Inside. Go."

When Sam still refused to budge, he walked around her and opened the door, waiting for her to go in.

"You are in so much trouble, Freddie," she said, stalking past him. "I am so angry at you right now..."

She stopped short when she walked into the restaurant. The entire place was filled with candlelight, the tables and chairs stacked against the walls and leaving a single table with two chairs as the focal point in the room. She turned to Freddie, open mouthed.

"Okay, it's a bit cliche," he said sheepishly. "But I thought there would be no better place to do this than here, the place you built and worked so hard for." He took both of her hands in his and took a deep breath. "Sam, I love you. You're an amazing friend, boss, mother, girlfriend, and person. This past year that we've been back together has just been...amazing. I can't imagine a better life than what I have with you and Charlie. And I know that it might seem like this is too soon or that we're too young but my heart...my heart is telling me that this is right. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Sam. And I don't want to wait. You're my best friend, the mother of my child, my soulmate..."

He reached into his pocket and took out a box. He knelt down on one knee before her and opened the box.

"And I'm asking you now, will you be my wife?"

Sam didn't know what to say. Of all the theories she had come up with for Freddie's strange behavior, this was the last thing she would have thought of. She looked at Freddie, who looked up at her nervously. She loved him so much. More than she thought it was possible to love someone. But was she ready to marry him?

Sam let her instincts guide her and blurted out what her heart was telling her: "Yes."

Freddie looked taken aback. "Yes?"

"What else were you expecting, nub?" She laughed. "No?"

"No...I mean..." He stood up, his face beaming, and kissed her.

"I love you," he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. "God, I love you."

Sam grinned. "I love you too. Do I get to wear the ring or what?"

"Oh! Yeah. Yes, of course." Freddie fumbled with the box, his fingers trembling. Finally, he got the ring out and placed it on Sam's left ring finger. It was a perfect fit.

She leaned into him and Freddie wrapped his arms around her.

"You recognize the song playing?" He asked.

Sam noticed for the first time that there was music softly playing. She was so caught up in the new ambiance of the restaurant and the proposal that she hadn't even heard it.

"_I keep running away..."_

She laughed. "You're such a nub. I can't believe you still have this song."

"Hey, it has good memories." He smiled. "Some of the best I'll ever have."

Sam wrapped her arms around his neck and he looped his around her waist, their bodies automatically swaying to the music.

They heard a throat clearing behind them and they turned to see Julie, holding a tray.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said. "But dinner is served."

She placed the plates on the table. "And also, congratulations!" she squealed and ran over to hug Sam.

"Sorry," she said, pulling away and wiping away tears. "I'll leave you guys alone."

"Thanks Julie." Freddie smiled.

He pulled out the seat for Sam and sat down across from her. Sam looked down at the lasagna and the container of parmesan cheese sitting right beside her plate and smiled.

"So, how long have you been planning this?"

"All of this," he gestured around the restaurant. "About a few weeks. But I've been working up the courage to propose for a few months now."

Sam dropped her fork. "A few months?"

"I've known for awhile now that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Sam."

She smiled down into her food, for once in her life she didn't feel hungry at all. The candlelight reflected on her ring, and she found that it was hard for her to take her eyes away from it. She felt like the giddy schoolgirl that she never was, as if Carly had come over and infected her with her daffodilness. At any other time she would have felt ridiculous, but right now she was too happy to care.

Sam stood up and walked over to the other side of the table, planting herself on Freddie's lap.

"Hey," he said, grinning widely at her.

"Hey."

"What are you doing?"

"You're too far away."

She kissed him. It started soft and slow and gradually increased in intensity as she lightly nipped his bottom lip, begging for entry that he willingly gave. Their pace quickly became frantic as Sam wrapped her arms around his neck and Freddie's hands went up the back of her shirt, feeling her silky smooth skin.

Sam pulled away panting, leaning her forehead against his.

"There's uh...dessert..."

"I know there is," she smirked, wiggling on his lap.

He groaned and grabbed her waist, stilling her.

"I'm serious, Sam. You're going to want this."

"Freddie, for once in my life I'm not thinking about food," she said. "You really want to ruin the moment?"

He kissed her. "It's only because I love you that I have the strength to do this," he told her, lifting her and simultaneously standing up. He placed her on his chair and kissed her forehead, walking towards the kitchen.

"Freddie!" Sam pouted, not believing that he just left her. She angrily took a big bite of his barely touched lasagna.

He came back out a minute later, holding a large purple gift bag.

"Here," he said. "I wanted you to have the best dessert possible tonight and your cousin Tess went to a lot of trouble to get this for you."

"How did you get Tess to do a favor for you? Even I'm kind of scared of her."

Freddie thought of the large, heavily pierced and tattooed woman he had met with just yesterday to get the Fatcakes. He didn't think there was a part of her face that wasn't pierced and he had never felt so intimidated by someone in his life. Not even by Sam's Uncle Carmine. There was something about Tess's eyes, something that said that she could carve into your cheeks with a swiss knife just for the pure enjoyment of it. Luckily, when they met, Tess was in a good mood because she had successfully smuggled everything she had wanted to over the Canadian border.

"Remember a few months ago I fixed her computer and managed to restore all of her files that she accidentally deleted? Well, I didn't tell you at the time but she told me that she owed me and to tell her if I ever needed a favor. I don't think this was exactly what she had in mind, but she's the only person that I could think of that could get these for you."

He held the bag out to her and Sam took it, quickly ripping the tape that held the top of the bag together.

She looked up at Freddie. "Not that I don't love Fatcakes but I still have, like, three boxes at home..."

"Look carefully."

Sam took one out and gasped as she read the packaging. "Canadian Fatcakes?" She practically squealed.

"Yup."

She tore open the package and shoved the Fatcake into her mouth. "Oh my God..." she moaned.

Freddie shifted uncomfortably. He was already pretty riled up from earlier and hearing that wasn't helping his situation any. Not to mention that Sam had a way of eating Canadian Fatcakes that was quite...sensual. As he had learned when they had visited the Canadian Fatcake Factory years ago.

"Mmm...this is the best thing ever..."

Freddie pulled her up and kissed her before she could get started on another Fatcake.

"Do I have to compete with Fatcakes tonight?" He asked.

Sam shook her head. "Not if you take me home right now."

He grabbed the bag of Fatcakes and took her hand, pulling her towards the exit.

"Wait! The restaurant!"

"Don't worry, Julie will take care of it."

She willingly followed him and they walked hand in hand to their building, probably looking like giggling fools the whole way but she didn't care.

They had barely made it through the door of the apartment before Freddie was on her, his hands and lips everywhere. Sam wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

"Oh God!" They heard.

They pulled away to see Carly sitting on the couch, her hands over her eyes.

"Oh hey, Carls," Sam said, panting slightly.

Carly slowly brought her hands down. "So I take it you said yes?"

Sam nodded and Freddie grinned, his arms still wrapped around Sam's waist from behind.

Carly squealed and ran up to them, grabbing Sam's left hand.

"Oh, it's so gorgeous!" She sighed. "It looks perfect on your hand, Sam."

"I know." She smiled.

"So can we start planning? The first thing you guys need to do is set the date. Oh and I can pick up all the bridal magazines at the newsstand tomorrow and we can start looking through them for dress ideas..."

"Carly," Freddie cut in. "That's great and all but I think it can wait until tomorrow."

"But there's so much to do! I think we should at least make a list, you know, all of the big important stuff first-"

"Carly," Sam interrupted, giving her best friend a look. "No offense, you know we love you, but Freddie and I really want to be alone tonight."

"Oh...Oh!" Her eyes widened. "Okay. Yeah, I'll leave you alone." She picked up her jacket from the couch and shrugged it on.

"Charlie's asleep," she told them. "She just woke up for a diaper change about thirty minutes ago so she should be good for the night. Don't go too crazy, I'll be here bright and early tomorrow morning to start the planning. Congratulations, you two!"

She hugged them both and left.

"So where were we?" Freddie asked huskily once the door had closed behind their friend. He peppered Sam's neck with light kisses.

"Mmm...I don't know, why don't you go to the bedroom and find out?" She smirked. "I just need to check on Charlie real quick."

Freddie nodded and walked to their room. Sam locked the door and turned out the lights then went into Charlie's room. Her baby was sleeping peacefully, the mobile still turning above her. Sam stilled the mobile and carefully adjusted Charlie's blanket. Her ring sparkled in the moonlight streaming in from the window and it made her smile. She was getting married. It still felt surreal to her.

When Sam turned to leave, she found Freddie standing in the doorway watching her.

"What?" She asked self-consciously.

"You are so beautiful," he said, his voice full of awe.

She rolled her eyes but walked over to him, draping her arms over his shoulders.

"You're such a sap, Benson."

"A sap that you're going to spend the rest of your life with." He smiled.

She leaned up and kissed him.

"Sam..." Freddie whispered, his forehead pressed against hers. "I love you so much, you have no idea."

"Why don't you show me?"

She took his hand and together they walked to their bedroom.

Freddie kissed her, softly and sweetly. Sam could feel the love pouring out of him, she could honestly say that she had never felt so happy in her life. She never knew that happiness like this could exist, or that she could love someone so much. She felt a desperation surge through her. She needed to be as close to him as possible, she needed these clothes out of the way.

She began to unbutton his shirt, her hands shaking in her need. Freddie covered them with her own.

"Sam, slow down," he whispered.

She shook her head. "Need you now."

"We have all night."

Sam was about to protest but then got a better idea. She pushed him down so that he was sitting on the bed and then stepped away from him.

"Alright then, if we have all night then you won't mind if I just take my time..."

She slowly began to unbutton her shirt, and Freddie sat there entranced as each button revealed a little bit of flesh. When the last button was undone he reached for her but Sam moved out of his reach. She flipped one side of her shirt open, showing him the lacy flesh colored cup of her bra, and then did the same with the other side of her shirt.

"Sam..." Freddie groaned.

She let the shirt fall off her shoulders and slowly pushed down the straps of her bra but made no move to take it off.

"Sam, come on. You're torturing me..."

"You said you wanted to take this slow," she said innocently.

"Not this slow," he protested, the frustration evident in his voice.

Sam smirked and Freddie swore he could see an evil glint in her eye. "We have all night, remember?"

She unbuttoned her jeans and slowly pulled the zipper down, giving him a tantalizing glimpse of her black silk panties. Sam rarely matched her underwear, unless she was planning to seduce him. And Freddie loved that. Seeing it now reinforced the fact that it was supposed to be just an ordinary day, that he had caught her off guard and she had no idea how different, how special this night would be. And knowing that reminded him that she had just said yes to marrying him. He was going to spend the rest of his life with this woman and most days would consist of just her and her mismatched underwear. He couldn't wait.

Sam pushed her jeans down her legs, still not in any hurry. When she had kicked her jeans off her feet, Freddie couldn't stand it anymore and he quickly picked her up and laid her down on the bed.

Sam giggled, lightly hitting him. "Freddie!"

"I'm sorry, okay?" He growled, as he moved above her. "No more slow."

He kissed her deeply, not giving her a chance to answer. Sam moaned into his mouth as their tongues met, her hands tangling through his hair, pulling him closer. When she wrapped her legs around his waist, his hardness rubbing deliciously against her heat, Freddie pulled back and quickly removed his jeans and boxers. Sam took the opportunity to remove her bra and he quickly fell back into her open and waiting arms. He kissed her and he could feel the cold metal of her ring on his bare skin as she caressed his back. It made him shiver and deepen the kiss, as he felt the solid reminder that this woman will soon be his wife.

Sam moaned as he moved down her neck, pressing kisses along the way, his hands cupped her breasts, feeling the peaks stiffen beneath his fingertips. He moved down to take one of those peaks into his mouth.

"Freddie..." Sam's hand fisted in his hair, keeping him to her chest. His tongue circled the hard peak before he took it wholly into his mouth and sucked. Sam's back arched up as a moan escaped her lips. He switched to the other breast, reveling in Sam's breathy moans.

"Freddie..." She pulled him up. "Freddie, please..."

Freddie knew that the desperation in her eyes matched his. Neither of them could wait any longer. He leaned back on his knees and let his hands gently trace over her frame, caressing her breasts, her stomach, her waist, until he reached the edge of her underwear, which he slid down her legs.

Sam pulled him down to kiss her and he positioned himself between her legs, moaning into Sam's mouth as his hardness came into with her wet heat. He looked into her eyes as he entered her, seeing so much love in them that he could have wept from it. He slid smoothly into her, Sam's back arching up to take him in deeper and he couldn't think. The feeling of her so smooth and tight around him was too much. Freddie didn't think he could ever get tired of this, even if they did it everyday for the rest of their lives. It wasn't enough, his hunger for this beautiful woman beneath him could never be satiated.

Sam wrapped her legs around his waist and together they found a rhythm that gave Freddie so much exquisite pleasure that he felt like could black out from it. But Sam was writhing and moaning beneath him and he was desperate to bring her to the very peak of her pleasure first. He lifted up her thighs slightly and the change in angle allowed him to slide even deeper into her, making Sam nearly scream as he hit her spot.

"Freddie..." She gasped. "Oh God, I'm gonna..."

"Come for me, Sam," he said, the pace of his thrusts getting faster, wilder as he struggled to hold on.

Sam shuddered beneath him, her body tightening and shaking as she rode out her pleasure. Her walls contracted around him, squeezing him so tightly and deliciously that he couldn't hold back anymore. He released with a long moan as Sam clutched at him tightly, her fingers sliding on the sweat on his back but gripping him nonetheless.

He collapsed onto her and tried to move so that all of his weight wasn't on her but Sam held him in place.

Freddie pressed his forehead to hers. "Hey," he whispered.

"Hey."

"You think the sex will still be this good forty years from now?" He asked.

"It better be or else I'm divorcing you." She smiled.

He chuckled and fell onto his side of the bed, taking Sam with him so that she was lying partly on his chest. She intertwined her legs with his.

"Thank you."

"Freddie, if you're going to start thanking me every time we have sex-"

"No, not for that. Although, that was amazing and I am thankful. I meant thank you for saying yes, for agreeing to marry me."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't be a sap. What else would I have said?"

"I just thought...I don't know, I thought you might have said it was too soon or we're too young. I mean, that's what everyone else is going to say."

"And when have I cared what anybody else has to say about me?"

Freddie smiled, playing with a strand of her hair. "That's true."

Sam rolled onto her stomach and propped her chin on Freddie's chest. "Do you think we're too young?"

Her voice held no doubts, just honest curiosity on what his opinion was.

"Ordinarily I would say yes, but given everything we've been through the past year and just in general since we graduated high school...I'm not just a college student stumbling around trying to figure out what I want. I know what kind of career I want, I know what I have to do to achieve it, and most important, I know that I want you and Charlie in my life forever. Why should we have to wait to publicly and legally acknowledge that just because of our age?"

She pressed a kiss to his chest. "I love you."

And with just those three words, Freddie knew that Sam felt exactly the same. They were ready for this.

X

"Okay, I'm here!" Carly announced, walking into the Puckett-Benson soon to be just Benson household, her arms draped with bags.

"Arlyy!" Charlie said.

"Hello Charlie!" Carly bent down to press a kiss to her where she was sitting on Sam's lap. She began dropping all of the bags around the coffee table.

"What is all of that?" Sam asked.

"I picked up your wedding invitations. Now we just have to stuff them into envelopes and address them. And I have some choices for wedding souvenirs here. I also got the layout of the reception hall so that we can draw a preliminary seating chart."

She began to take things out of the bag, laying them all out neatly on the coffee table.

"Um, Carls? Don't you think its better if you do all of that at Spencer's? I've got a baby here..."

As if to illustrate her point, Charlie quickly scrambled off her mother's lap and made a grab for the stack of envelopes.

"No!" Carly cried.

The tower of envelopes fell over and Charlie triumphantly held one in her little fist. Her other hand held onto the edge of the table.

Carly quickly picked up the baby and placed her in her playpen.

"That's okay." She took deep breaths as she fixed the stack of envelopes. "I have plenty of spare envelopes, and some spare invitations too."

"Carly, she's not going to stay quiet in there when she sees you doing all of that," Sam warned.

"You're just trying to get out of helping me," Carly retorted. "You can't use Charlie as an excuse for everything, you know."

"I do not-"

"What about when you had to leave early from wedding dress shopping because Charlie needed you? Or when you couldn't go bridesmaid dress shopping with me because there was no one to watch Charlie? Or-"

"Okay!" Sam cut in. "Maybe I have been using Charlie as an excuse. But you have to admit that you've been going overboard on this planning stuff."

"That's only because the wedding is in eight months and we're going to lose two weeks of planning when you're in New York next month!"

"It's not the end of the world, Carls. And Freddie's going to be gone longer, why aren't you freaking out about that?"

"Like Freddie matters," Carly said dismissively. "You're the bride. You need to be here for everything!"

"We'll do the cake tastings when I get back," Sam told her, trying to be patient with her best friend.

"Didn't you and Freddie already do two of them last week?"

"There are a lot of bakeries in Seattle!"

"And isn't Julie going to make the cake anyway?"

"That doesn't mean I can't taste other cakes."

Carly laughed in spite of herself. "You know, the only thing that I can get you to cooperate on this is food."

"That's because everything else is boring."

"No, it's not. It's fun! And I think you should cherish this experience, you only get married once after all."

"That's the hope," Sam said cheerfully. "Who knows with Frednub, though? He might annoy me enough one day that I'll just leave him."

"Please." Carly rolled her eyes, not buying into her best friend's glibness. "You and Freddie are forever, you know that."

"Da!" Charlie said, lighting up at her dad's name. The envelope she had stolen was now a drool covered paper ball in her fist.

Sam smiled. "Yeah, I guess."

Carly kneeled in front of the table and uncapped a fountain pen, ready to get started on addressing the envelopes. "So are you going to help me with this?"

"Um, I should give Charlie a bath first." Sam stood up and lifted Charlie out of her playpen.

"Sam!"

"It's true! I was going to do it before you got here. She managed to get cottage cheese all over herself earlier, smell her." She held the baby out in Carly's direction, who immediately shrank away.

"No thanks."

"You know I have crappy handwriting anyway. Freddie should be home soon. Get him to help you, he writes like a girl."

"Freddie does have nice handwriting," Carly acknowledged.

"See? Problem solved. Come on baby girl, bath time," she said to Charlie.

"No!" Charlie yelled.

"Bubbles?" Sam wheedled.

"Bubby!"

"Yep, you'll have lots and lots of bubbles."

"Oh, Sam," Carly said. "Are you still going to ask Melanie to be a bridesmaid?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"You should do it soon. I can use you to get the initial fitting of her dress but we'll still have to send it to her so that she can try it on herself for final alterations."

"Eight months, Carly." Sam reminded her.

"Well, don't you think you should ask her before we start sending invitations out? If I keep to the schedule I can send these out in four days, five at the most."

Sam sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to win. "Fine. I'll call her right now, okay?"

"Okay." Carly smiled happily and turned back to the envelopes.

Sam carried Charlie to her bedroom and set her down on the bed with pillows surrounding her. After the whole kidnapping incident and the letter, Sam had gotten into contact with her sister. And Melanie had kept her word and stayed in touch with Sam with weekly phone calls. Their relationship still wasn't great but they were taking steps in getting to know one another again and Sam couldn't say that she wasn't happy to be talking to her sister again.

She picked up her phone from where it was charging on the dresser and sat down on the edge of the bed. She absentmindedly pulled Charlie down by the shirt when the baby tried to stand up on the bed. Charlie squealed as she happily rolled around on the pillows and Sam grimaced, knowing that she would have to change the sheets.

"Hello," Melanie's ever chirpy voice answered.

"Hey Mel," Sam said.

"Sam! Hi, how are you?"

"Good, good. How about you?"

"Oh you know, just finished finals and my summer internship starts next week already."

Sam had been planning on bringing up the bridesmaid thing first but since her sister gave her an opening...

"Hey, speaking of internships. Freddie has one in New York this summer."

"Really? That's great! It's with the Pear company I bet."

"Yeah, he'll be doing something for their office over there. He's going to be there for two months and I'm planning on taking Charlie and staying with him for two weeks."

"That's amazing, Sam," Melanie said happily. "You'll love New York."

"I was thinking, if you're not too busy, you might want to visit me...and Charlie."

Melanie was silent and Sam knew it was from shock more than anything else. In the time that they had been speaking to each other for the last few months, neither of them had brought up the possibility of Melanie seeing Charlie. But Sam had been thinking about it for awhile, and after a lot of discussion with Freddie, the two of them decided that they could give Melanie this chance to be a part of Charlie's life.

"I...I would love that, Sam," Melanie said softly. "I don't know what to say..."

Sam looked at Charlie, where she was preoccupied playing with her foot. "Freddie is leaving a week and a half from now. He's going to get settled over there and Charlie and I will follow in a month."

"That sounds great. I'll have to take Freddie out to lunch or dinner when he comes over then."

"Sure."

"I know all of the good hot dog stands in the city..."

"Now you're talking," Sam grinned.

"How's the wedding planning going?"

"Oh you know, I'm just sitting back and watching Carly run around like a headless chicken."

Melanie laughed. "I bet."

"I actually wanted to ask you to be a bridesmaid. You know, if you want..."

"Yes! Yes, I want to. Oh, Sam, I can't tell you what all of this means to me..."

"Yeah yeah," Sam said, knowing that her sister was about to get sentimental. "I have to give Charlie a bath so I should go."

"Okay. Thank you, Sam. Really. I'll call you next week?"

"Yeah. I should be able to tell you where Freddie is staying by then."

"Say hi to Charlie, Freddie, and Carly for me! Bye sis."

"Bye."

She hung up and looked down at a sleepy looking Charlie, lying back quietly against the pillows.

"Okay, baby girl. Bubble time and then a nap."

"Bubba," Charlie said as Sam picked her up but without her earlier enthusiasm.

Sam hugged her baby to her chest, feeling happy and content.

* * *

**A/N: I will try to get the epilogue out soon. In the meantime, check out my new story 525, 600 Minutes. It's going to be a series of one-shots and Charlie will certainly be in some of them. :)**


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